Inspirational Moments - Jesse Owens at the 1936 Olympics

Things are pretty tough for a lot of people right now.

For many people across the Arab nations of North Africa and the Middle East, the future is uncertain as the international community prevaricates around the bush about whether to permit atrocious attacks on civilians (using weaponry we supplied).

In the 'developed West' we've been hit with a recession, an "age of Austerity".  People's futures are uncertain: will we keep our jobs, will we keep our houses?  Our standard of living will almost certainly fall and some of us have nearly used up all our savings with not much hope of earning the money back.

We think we've got it tough.

In the first half of 20th Century, equality was still a long way off.  In Europe, Hitler was in no mood for compromise - whites were definitely the superior race and the most superior of all were the Aryans.  Without mincing words, too many other nations and individuals supported this view (including many in UK - Chamberlain then prime minister, for example). Blacks were not really human - good to work as slaves but not much else.

So when Jesse Owen went on to win Gold Medals, to beat this "superior Aryan race" at a race, Hitler didn't stay around to congratulate him.  

A lot of time has passed since then.  Slavery and race /sex /sexual orientation /background /age discrimination is still here, though we're more aware of it.  Some people succeed in spite of it, and some people succeed regardless of it.

And most of all, through all the difficulties, some people come shining through.  My offer to you, my dear reader, is that YOU come shining through.