Lying in State

Rosa Parks' body will lie in state at the Capitol Rotunda.

I think that this is a fitting tribute for the woman who sparked the Civil Rights movement, though not everybody agrees.

Some peopole complain that htis is setting the bar too low for precedent for such an honor, though this is doesn't seem too much of a problem to me. I don't expect to see Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton or or John Kerry given the same honor. This is a rare event, and will remain reserved for true heroes of the republic and for presidents.

Rosa Parks might not have done an extraordinary thing by keeping her seat on the front of the buys, but that simple act sparked a great movement. She might have been exploited by the NAACP and others to become a symbol of oppression, but she remained dignified in the situation and throughout her life. She was an unassuming person and accepted the notoriety heaped upon her humbly. She is a true example of what Americans can do when they grasp at the opportunities afforded them. She helped others to a better life, and I don't know whether she was able to parlay the fame of the movement into a pile of money, but I get the sense that she didn't. (I think I would have preferred if she had.) Once the goals of the movement were accomplished, she went back to her private life and lived quietly outside of the limelight.

The only regret I have about Rosa Parks lying in state in the Capitol Rotunda is that I will not have an opportunity to show my respects there.