A Great American
Photo Credit: Mike Licht, Creative Commons. Taken from the Library of Congress
I feel that I would be remiss if I didn’t recognize the significance of today. Martin Luther King, Jr. is, in my opinion, one of the greatest Americans to ever live. He embodied justice, grace, and humility. He sought God’s will for his life and never gave up on his quest for equality.
It pains me to think about the state our country was in during Dr. King’s time. I know that I wasn’t alive during that time, and that I didn’t personally commit any atrocities towards my African American brothers and sisters, but it still pains me to reflect on the treatment of minority populations in our country. It also pains me when I see and read accounts downplaying this part of history. Bottom line- Horrific human rights violations have been committed against African Americans in our country, beginning with slavery, and in many cases continuing into today. Freedom fighters like Dr. King and many others worked hard to bring equality to all Americans. I am thankful for these freedom and equality fighters.
I am also thankful for Dr. King’s commitment to his family and faith. He was an incredible man of God, and I admire his faith and devotion to God. And I deeply admire his quest for justice through the medium of peace. He advocated for peaceful resistance and reason to achieve social change in our country.
Dr. King paved the way for much change and social reform for minorities in the United States. But for many, the fight is not over. There are still huge disparities and income gaps between minorities (both in terms of ethnicity and gender). Institutional racism still exists and is a painful reality for many Americans. Dr. King called out against apathy and silence. Well intentioned people can contribute to injustice simply by being silent. I hope we can all recognize this and work to end oppression in all forms, disregarding partisan politics and differences in opinion and culture.
I don’t want to make this post lengthy, so I’ll end with a few of my favorite quotes from Dr. King for all of us to reflect on.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
“I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is this: What are you doing for others?”
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.”
I hope you take some time to reflect on the words and works of Dr. King today. And as an honor to his legacy, I hope I can reach out to others and fight for justice, regardless of the consequences.
SixEight Life 