Martin Luther King, Jr. grew up in the violently racist, segregated south, knowing there were better options for black people such as himself, but seeing red flags everywhere. He saw the changes that needed to happen, and he advocated for them, despite colossal odds. “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” (Martin Luther King, Jr.)
Oppression has incited revolutions all over the world, and change has occurred once the voices have been heard. Would anything have changed for the black citizens of the U.S. if Rosa Parks hadn’t kept herself in that seat, or if Dr. King hadn’t led the Montgomery bus boycott? “Change yourself if you want to change the world.” (Swami Bramdev).
Have you listened to it in its entirety? Here is a youtube link. Find 30 minutes this week to sit in your favorite chair or lie down in your bed, and listen to the whole speech. Marvel at the crowd of thousands of black and white citizens of America, huddled together on the Lincoln Memorial plaza on that day in 1963 to hear the words being immortalized. By the time King reaches his famous climax, you will be inspired all over again.
Think about our lifetime and our parents’ generation, and the horrors we’ve seen: genocide in Rwanda and Bosnia, brutality in the South Sudan, apartheid, and the Holocaust. Leaders with rhetoric convincing enough can do anything, especially in times of desperation. It all starts with one person listening, and then 50, and then thousands. The Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday is used to remember, educate, and share the better side of collective action: Gandhi’s and Mandela’s non-violent fights for independence and equality, or King’s approach to love and perseverance for a better tomorrow.
Yep, we can reserve one of these slides for a little self-absorption. You get to sleep in! You don’t have to see your co-workers’ faces for five days this week! Peace is the ultimate message Dr. King wanted to spread, so take this rare day of freedom to celebrate yourself.
If you can’t accept the fact by now that U.S. citizens are the world’s citizens, and that we are built on a foundation of multi-ethnic, immigrant generations, then….it’s time to stop drinking whatever you’ve been drinking. Our differences — physical, emotional, spiritual, cultural, or otherwise –should be celebrated, and respected.
Whether or not you’re a fan of his leadership style, we have broken down monumentally huge barriers by electing the first African American president in history. Barack Obama and future leaders of diverse ethnic backgrounds would have had a tougher climb if not for Martin Luther King, Jr.
Google Martin Luther King Day celebrations. If you’re living in the Big Apple, down in sunny Fort Lauderdale, or in one of America’s small towns in the plain states, there is likely a parade or celebration.
Think about the people of North Korea, or the citizens of the Democratic republic of Congo, or the gays in Russia. Now think about segregation in the American south, or slavery in the confederate states. We in the U.S. are all so far away from the threat facing people in many parts of the world today who have limited options. Take another second now and give a little shout out to Martin Luther King, Jr. for helping us out with that!
Let’s all act a little more like Martin Luther King, Jr. today: Have a dream, and go get it!
