Riding the bus with Rosa Parks

Before Rosa Parks, I had never thought much about black peoples living conditions, of course I knew that we were segregated, in possibly too many ways, but I never thought twice about why we were better than them or at least that was how we saw our self, how some people still see them self. I remember as a kid if we saw a black person on the street, my parents would always take a step to the side and pull me in close, never asking why. Of course, there was not any black kids in my school and my parents did their best to keep them out of my life. I have never learned or heard much about the environment they lived in was, the only place I must have heard about it was in school. But I never did listen much, but maybe I should’ve, maybe I should have asked my parents why it was the way it was, perhaps if that were the circumstances I would have reacted differently, I could have stood up for her, but again I would not be brave enough to do that, however I would have understood her.

That day I was sitting in the front of the bus, so at first, I could not hear what was going on, but then I turned around and I was shocked. I was so surprised, I did not understand why her, a black woman would not give up her seat to that kind white man. I remember thinking “We are all tired how is that any excuse”, but she kept on refusing and to be honest I got a bit mad about it. I thought to myself, how could she be so rude not to give up her seat, it is the system, but she did not, and I think that a part of me admires her for that, I still do think it was stupid and unnecessary, but I must admit it was brave of her, she stood up for herself and to do that knowing the consequences is estimable. I am not saying it is fair that she went to prison for not giving up her bus seat to a white man, but she broke the law. If she had not gone to jail, well what would that say about the system. We have a law and if you break it you go to jail or get a fine and that is how it works.