Trailblazers....Jobs, Rev. Shuttlesworth

On Wed.Oct 5 2011, Mr. Steve Jobs passed from this world into the next and Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth  shared the trip with him. While there can be denial of the incredible contributions that Steve Jobs made to the world, he was man who was incredibly compensated for his expertise. Ironically, I am not an Apple user nor do I own an Iphone nor Ipad. I am a huge fan of the Ipod and could not even concieve of ever going back to a walkman except as piece of memoriabilia for a time capsule. How we communicate, listen to music, translate our thoughts has been shaped by the vision of Steve Jobs and his minions of workers at Apple,inc. He was pushed out of the company he created, only to come back 10 years later and take it to the next level. We all admire men like Mr. Jobs, he is a reminder that the one person with a vision can revolutionize a planet. There is inspiration in that, it is the sort of story you bookmark on your "Iphone" and look at when you can barely get out of bed in the morning. We need the Steve Jobs of the world, we have to belief that status quo doesnt always win, that a vision no matter how battered can make an impact. He was known as a man who was not easy to work with but it has always been my mantra, you cant expect the ordinary from the extraordinary. I think it's a ridiculous expectation, you are dealing with people who are operating on a level that effects a vast amount of people, something has to give and it is usually the micro within the macro-right or wrong. The other part of this reality is that Steve Jobs recieved incredible recognition for his contributions, he enjoyed a life of incredible abundance, financially, emotionally and professionally. He was able to achieve his vision without any physical threats, trauma or financial instablilty. Many of the political trailblazers like Martin Luther King, Malcom X, Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Rev. Shuttlesworth never enjoyed that financial recognition for thier contributions. King and X, left nothing for thier families because they didnt believe that they should recieve compensation for doing the work of Jehovah or Allah. Rev. Shuttlesworth who was instrumental in the Freedom Riders among many other accomplishments lived a life of comfort but nothing that matched the physical and mental toil he sustained as freedom fighter. His name is known by few but the effects of his work can be seen in Occupy Wall Street, the March Against the War in Iraq, Immigration Rights and Marriage Equality among others. The images of these people are reproduced around the world as symbols of peace, human rights and equality but thier experience on this planet was rife with pain, isolation, betrayal, proverty and exhaustion. Now, people will rally thier names, give empty tributes but without a real acknowledgment of how this country benefited from thier fortitude but bartered nothing in return. Many of thier families were destroyed, seeing thier loved one violently killed, jailed, beaten and then expected to move forward without any assistance.
This is a note to dismiss the impact of either man. Each was incredibly instrumental but just to remember that some contributions are not as flashy, or sexy but just as or if more impactful in the shaping of our consciousness.