Guess who Miriam isn’t inviting to dinner? Published Jan. 11, 2010 By Rex Jones 21st Space Wing Equal Opportunity PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- If you've been keeping up with my articles over the last few months, you know that I often quote a variety of authors and books. I've learned that there really isn't "anything new under the sun," and there is probably someone out there who has already said it much better than I ever could. Well, today's article won't be much different. I plan to cite a character that I suspect some of you are familiar with; however, I want to add some little known facts related to this very recognizable story. Most of you have heard of Moses and the Israelites, but did you know according to the Bible, Moses married Zipporah "the Ethiopian woman" with staunch disapproval from his sister and brother--Miriam and Aaron Although Zipporah was known for her beauty, Ethiopians differed in their complexions from other people in that region. Both Miriam and Aaron seemed to have had some difficulty with that very detail. Before everything was said and done, God disapproved of Miriam's discriminatory behavior and temporarily rebuked her with leprosy. Miriam's attitude about her brother's relationship with Zipporah is nothing new to most of us; as much as we are more accepting and open-minded today in comparison to the 1960s when interracial unions were illegal (known as miscegenation laws) in many areas of the nation, our liberal and progressive opinions still bear some residual intolerance and racial views that aren't so different from Miriam's. Who would think that in this progressive society that many call a "melting pot," interracial dating could still be a prevalent subject? The fact that Barack Obama is a product of an interracial relationship may have prevented him from receiving an invitation to Miriam's house for dinner; however, with the assistance of anti-discrimination laws that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. fought so very hard for, he was able to become America's 44th President. Regardless of where you stand on this distinct issue, when it comes to the workplace, equal employment opportunity cannot be denied any person because of his or her racial group or perceived racial group, race-linked characteristics (such as hair texture, color, facial features), or marriage to someone of a particular race or color. The Peterson Air Force Base 2010 Martin Luther King observance ceremony is 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 13 at The Club. The ceremony features "The Meeting," a human rights drama presented by a theater group that explores what might have happened had Martin Luther King and Malcolm X met before they were killed. For information, call Staff Sgt. Tenea Basinger at 556-1623.