Jan 21 2008
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
For those of us living in American, today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a day set aside for Americans to remember the contributions of the great civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
For me, a 20-something white male who grew up in the South but came to be of a rather liberal political persuasion, this day holds an assortment of meanings for me. 1) Because of Dr. King, I was bussed across town for most of Elementary and Middle School, thus exposing me to cultures outside of those in my neighborhood (African-American and Vietnamese-American, to be specific). 2) Because of Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement, I and other Americans have an amazing model for grassroots activism, for how to stand up for one’s beliefs, principles, and rights, without resorting to violence. 3) Because of Dr. King, I’m able to grasp how to live, breathe, and dream, even though there are attacking coming from all sides. In those three instances (and I’m sure that there are more that I can’t think of at the moment), Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gives me a blueprint on how to both follow Jesus and to model my life after the example that Jesus set out for all humanity. Dr. King wasn’t perfect (and none of us are), but he also knew that God had grace for him each time he did fail — and that is something with which I can truly resonate.
In the end, to me, what Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is all about is first to honor the memory and accomplishments of a great American and then to dig deep within our individual and collective psyches in order to possibly bring about some of that same greatness in each of us and in our nation. If we do not learn from the past, we are bound to both repeat our horrible mistakes and to forget how we accomplished our beautiful successes. Thank you, Dr. King, for your words, your lessons, and your life.
A Collection of speeches from Martin Luther King, Jr.
Highlights include:
I Have A Dream
Letter From Birmingham Jail
Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech
Beyond Vietnam
I’ve Been to the Mountaintop
