Love in Action

I had reasoned this out in my mind -
There was one of two things I had a right to, 
Liberty or death.  
If I could not have one, 
I would have the other.
     - Harriet Tubman, conductor of the Underground Railroad


Today's session of children's elementary RE lifted up Harriet Tubman, an escaped slave who returned again and again to the South to lead more than 300 slaves to freedom.  Although she was certainly not a Unitarian Universalist, Tubman exemplified our second UU Source of Beliefs, "the women and men of long ago and today whose lives remind us to be kind and fair."

The children learned that love calls us to be courageous and to take action in the face of injustice, and Harriet Tubman was seen as a remarkable example of how one person put love into action in addressing the injustice of slavery.  They discussed Tubman's role as a leader, and thought about what being a leader means.  They pondered the implications of using good judgement as both a leader and a follower, and talked about differentiating between choosing to follow a leader showing good judgement, and choosing to follow a leader showing poor judgement. 

After hearing the story about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad, children delved into the issue of injustices.  They discussed whether they had ever witnessed injustice or experienced injustice, and whether they had taken action or if someone else had taken action on their behalf as an ally.  They thought about reasons why people would or would not take action when confronted with injustice.

Children learned about the role that Freedom Quilts played in the Underground Railroad, acting as symbolic messages to escaping slaves about the relative safety or dangers along the route, where the next safe house was, and who to look for at the next Underground station.  Quilters created hidden messages in these special quilts using common quilt patterns which escaping slaves learned to "read" to guide them to safety.  Because quilts were so commonplace, one could be casually tossed upon a clothesline or draped across a picket fence without attracting attention.  The children then created their own quilt blocks using construction paper, and pieced together their own symbolic Freedom Quilt.

The lesson ended with another look at our UU Sources Night Sky display, reminding us that our UU Sources of Belief act like guiding stars in the night sky, guiding us toward making decisions based on Love.

TAKING IT HOME:
Talk with your children about rules and what you can do when they are unfair.  Emphasize that the majority of rules are created in order to ensure fairness and safety; however, some rules are created that are not fair.  Share your own examples of times when you thought rules were unfair and how you responded.  Talk about ways to change unfair rules, such as writing a letter, signing a petition, or meeting with the appropriate leaders to discuss it.  Be willing to reconsider family rules!  Look for an opportunity to engage everyone in creating family rules that everyone agrees are fair, while also establishing emotional and physical safety and well-being.

Here on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, we have a rich abundance of history about the Underground Railroad; and in fact, Harriet Tubman was born and lived in Dorchester County.  The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park is slated to open in 2013 near Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Dorchester County, along with a 125 mile driving tour of places of historic importance in Caroline and Dorchester Counties.