ColumnsWHAT exactly was wrong with the way Rosa Parks was treated?
Parks, of course, was the courageous lady who began the Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott in 1955, a seminal event — both symbolic and effective — in the history of the Civil Rights movement.
Before she refused to sit in the back of the bus, was Parks denied her money’s worth? No, she paid for her ride, and the bus took her where she wanted to go.
Was Parks charged more than other people, and discriminated in that way? No.
Was Parks given an inferior ride? No, she was on the same bus as the white riders. Her ride was just as good as theirs.
Was Parks not allowed to take the bus? Was she denied entrance or participation in the public transportation system? Again, no.
Exactly what, then, was missing when she was asked to sit in the back of the bus? Not money, not comfort, not participation — but dignity.