Today marks the time every year when this country celebrates the life, legacy and ideas of Martin Luther King Jr. No…It is not just a day off for students and government workers around the country. MLK really had some great, inspiring ideas. I find myself wondering what he would be thinking about America today. Without getting too political or religious, I believe that the American society has really made some great strides in accepting difference but there is SOOOOOOOOO far to go until people stop being ignorant and hateful for no reason other than fear: Fear of differences, fear of the unknown, fear of the demonized “others” we hear about constantly. With all my humanistic optimism, I truly believe that people are people across the board: we all live, breath, love, reproduce, thrive, struggle, etc. Also, in that optimism I feel that if we all just practiced a little more generosity with our acceptance, love, time, and empathy, our lives could be more enriched than imaginable. The ultimate good that Dr. King spoke about in many of his speeches could thrive.
Anyways, this is just some food for thought. I will leave you with some memorable quotes from the late Dr. King. Give them some thought and hopefully one or more can inspire you to live and love like MLK dreamed of.
“Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.... Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.'”
“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.”
“I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. That is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.”
“Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.”
“Let no man pull you low enough to hate him.” –Paul’s Letter to American Christians
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
“I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law.”
“I submit to you that if a man hasn't discovered something he will die for, he isn't fit to live.”
“The good neighbor looks beyond the external accidents and discerns those inner qualities that make all men human and, therefore, brothers."
Thank you Dr Martin Luther King Jr.
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