Picture_028_1Sometimes you just do something…because it is the right thing to do.

Well, that is exactly what happened on this Monday in Washington, D.C, when a historic meeting took place between Ambassador Andrew Young and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas (and yes, much less importantly, I was there too).

And why did we meet? Well, …can’t tell you that (just kidding).

Picture_025In the tradition of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., "if you are going to be a leader, you should try to talk to and if possible, have a respectful relationship with, most everyone that has impact on your life, and your agenda. You will find, in talking face to face, person to person and one-on-one, that your differences or less than you thought, sometimes significantly so, your common ground is more than you imagined, more times than not, significantly more, and your common humanity binds us all to God through the spirit, and simply cannot be bad." That wasn’t a quote from Dr. King by the way, it was a quote from me. In short, you can disagree, without being disagreeable.

This was the first meeting with Justice Thomas, who could not have been a more gracious host, more engaging on a range of issues, including the issue of race, or more giving of his time. We thank him for that. Personally, I have promised to read some of his opinions, before drawing one (an opinion) myself. I have also promised myself, following the lead of my hero Ambassador Andrew Young, to give him the benefit of the doubt. Isn’t that what we all want from life, by the way, benefit of the doubt?

Picture_023At the end of the day, we are all sinners, and "a saint, is a sinner, that got up." We none of us are perfect, so all of us should keep talking, and forgiving too.  To try not to judge, less we be judged, or something to that effect.

Onward with HOPE,

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