top of the mountain

What a day! Man, was it hot, hot, hot. Today was as hot as it ever gets in DC, but apparently this is actually mild for them. I caught myself complaining an inordinate amount today. Cry me a river, Sten.

After brunch in the gay district of Memphis, which was not unlike Baltimore's only with fewer "hons" being said back and forth and less big hair, Melissa and I went to the Civil Rights Museum. It's housed partially in the hotel where Martin Luther King, Jr was assassinated. It was akin to going to the Holocaust Museum in DC; a great experience of learning and sharing, but an intense one nonetheless. The whole process of civil rights for blacks is really moving. After having seen the museum today, I understand better why some in the African-American progressive movement get upset when homosexual groups compare striving for the right to marry to the fight amongst blacks for civil rights. It's not unlike attempting to compare apples and oranges; they are two different phenomena that share a common thread, but have a great number of divergent experiences and philosophies. Definitely something worth going to, though, at the very least.

Pictures posted today are of the National Civil Rights Museum, the balcony where MLK Jr was shot, a street along the tram tracks that goes to downtown Memphis, Melissa and Alan, and Melissa and myself.

The three of us had dinner with some of Alan and Melissa's friends, who are from Ireland. We had a really interesting discussion on the state of the economies of Europe, and what it portends for the future. The topic of Iceland's joining the EU came up; I heard from some Icelandic friends of mine awhile back who said that Iceland originally hadn't joined over fishing rights, but it was generally agreed upon that they are joining the EU now because they are bankrupt.

Something that came up afterwards while talking on the veranda was the concept of loving everyone, and how that relates to the human experience. It was an interesting discussion especially because of the visit today to the Civil Rights Museum. A lot of the ills of the world, I feel, can really be explained by fundamental group psychology of humans; groups of people, when divided amongst themselves, simply do not get along well with each other. I wonder how many of the ills of the world could be prevented if we were all to indeed love our neighbors as ourselves.

I'm looking forward to another balmy Tennessee afternoon tomorrow.