I went to Georgia’s Monday Assembly this week, where the kids sang a song for Martin Luther King, Jr. The music teacher introduced it by saying, “Martin Luther King, Jr. was a civil rights leader who fought for justice and all that stuff, so let’s sit up straight and tall and sing out with our proud voices…” and she turned on the CD of children singing, so that if the kids weren’t singing I guess we wouldn’t notice. It was a simple, strident song about Unity and Race and Getting Along. And all I could think was “and all that stuff” was probably all the kids really understood.

Later in the car, Georgia asked, “Whose birthday is coming up?”

I wasn’t sure what she meant, “I don’t think we know anyone with a birthday coming up.”

“No! The person who wrote the song we sang in our Monday Assembly!” she scolded.

What?! “I don’t think he wrote that song…” “Yes he did! The one we sang today!” and she burst into song: “We are one nation, yes, we are one land, together in one hand together we stand!”

“Well, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said a lot of those things, but he didn’t write that song.” I launched into an explanation of race relations lite. “When he lived some people thought it was OK to be mean to people just because of the color of their skin, and they thought it was OK to exclude them from places they wanted to go and things they wanted to do. It’s like if someone said all the people with brown eyes had to shop at the store that only had the old, rotten vegetables, but people with blue eyes got to shop in the fancy store with all the good stuff. Or kids with brown skin couldn’t play with kids with white skin.”

“Or kids with peach skin couldn’t play with kids with golden chestnut skin. THAT is NOT fair!” she yelled, tears in her eyes. Hiding my delight that skin color is such a rainbow to her, I assured her, “You’re right, and Martin Luther King, Jr. was speaking out about that, and explaining that it wasn’t right, and that kids should be able to play with each other if they want to no matter what color their skin is. So he would be very happy now to see your school and this world where mean people don’t get to make all the rules.”

When we got home there was a message from Michelle Obama in my inbox. The Obamas are calling for a Day of Service January 19 in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and there are hundreds of activities near us, as easy as dropping off food for the Food Bank to a larger, but kid-friendly effort of helping clean up a local park. “Volunteer” is Resolution #5 for our family, so we’re going to start the year off with a volunteer effort that pays tribute to the people who fought to make this country what it will be on January 20. Will you join us?