Honoring Dr. King

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. My original plan for today was to march in the MLK parade with a group from the nonprofit where I work, but unfortunately the weather did not cooperate - it is snowing and the temps are in the teens. So instead of being out there freezing, I am warm and comfy at home with tea, cats and hubby. However this time also gives me the chance to reflect on Dr. King's work and legacy.

I am not going to go into a recitation of Dr. King's accomplishments. If you want a retrospective just catch a news broadcast or pick up a newspaper, I'm sure most media outlets will be doing something in that vein. However, I will provide one small bit of trivia: did you know that one of Dr. King's degrees was in Sociology? This happens to be my my own major, so I feel a small connection with Dr. King in that area. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a student of the human condition, and his work did not focus on one particular aspect of humanity; his work sought to improve the overall human condition, to make the world a better place for everyone. This is why I want to focus on how to honor the legacy Dr. King left behind. I believe the best way to honor Dr. King is to continue the work he began, to find a way to make the world a better, more peaceful, more just place.

"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish as fools." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. King taught us that we all have a shared destiny, that our fates are forever linked together by our shared membership in the human race. One way to continue Dr. King's work is to work to eradicate racism, prejudice, stereotypes, homophobia, sexism, intolerance and the hostility that stems from religious differences. Eliminating these traits will help bring peace, justice and understanding to our world, a change I believe Dr. King would have approved and heartily cheered.

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

We must always speak out and make our voices heard when we encounter things that go against our principles. Material things come and go - we enter and leave this world with nothing - but our well-examined and closely-held beliefs are one of the few things we can retain until our dying day. If we set aside those beliefs we betray ourselves and lose a vital part of ourselves. It is crucial to exercise our principles, otherwise they will atrophy like unused muscle, and one day we will find ourselves adrift, without the strength to resist the propaganda and tide of public opinion which constantly attempt to push us into someone else's chosen direction. Speak out when change is needed, refuse to be silenced until change is achieved, and you will continue Dr. King's work and honor his legacy.

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

It is crucial that we do not accept or tolerate injustice, even though sometimes protesting it may be difficult or even dangerous. A nation, government or world that's "a little bit unjust" is like being "a little bit pregnant" - it's an all-or-nothing proposition. Our own Pledge of Allegiance affirms this - the final line is "with liberty and justice for all." FOR ALL. We all deserve justice, and when justice is denied to anyone, justice is denied to everyone. Identifying and eradicating sources of injustice is a good way to honor Dr. King's legacy and continue his work. The first suggestion that comes to my mind as a way to restore justice for all is to work to repeal the Patriot Act. This vile document revoked vital civil rights in the name of protecting us from terrorists, but now we need protection from our own government.

"Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Another way to honor Dr. King's legacy is to educate ourselves about our government, our history and our society. Don't just blindly accept the propaganda spread by media outlets - dig in and find truth for yourself. Get the facts. And once you have them, do your best to share what you've learned with others. Help others find their own truths. I believe the biggest threat to the status quo and to our current government is an informed citizenry, and it is our duty to become informed and to use our new knowledge to work for positive social change. It is our responsibility to be the best citizens we can be, and this is done not by flag-waving and mindlessly parroting government rhetoric; it is done by using our collective power to make our country a better, more just and peaceful place. This would be an excellent way to continue Dr. King's work and honor his legacy.

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

None of the above will be easy, but then nothing worthwhile and of lasting value ever is. Working to change our society will certainly be inconvenient and arduous, and may be dangerous at times, but when the payoff is something as great as restoring our nation to a place of "liberty and justice for all", the reward is worth the risk. Dr. King knew this.

"The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

In order to honor Dr. King's legacy and continue his work, we must be those "disciplined nonconformists" and exercise our dedication to "justice, peace and brotherhood". The history of our nation is replete with "disciplined nonconformists" - what do you think the founding fathers were? It was "disciplined nonconformists" who shaped this nation, who created the system of checks and balances to keep our government from overreaching its bounds (which has sadly gone awry courtesy of the Patriot Act), who crafted the document which gave us our civil rights (again which have been sorely abridged by the Patriot Act), who worked to expand those civil rights to include all citizens regardless of skin color or gender. We need a new generation of "disciplined nonconformists". However, we cannot ask anyone else to do that which we are unwilling to do, so therefore we need to BE a new generation of "disciplined nonconformists" in order to continue Dr. King's work and honor his legacy of creating positive social change.

"Greatness lies in service." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Working to create positive social change and make the world a more just and peaceful place can take many forms, far more than I can list here. Positive social change can come from service to others, service to the community and to the world at large. Each of us has the responsibility to find the way we can best serve to bring about positive social change, and to fulfill this task with honor and diligence. Individually it may seem that there is little we can do, but together we can change the world. Always keep this in mind, work to create justice and peace, and you will forever honor Dr. King's legacy.

Later,
AuntieM