Last Monday was the observed date celebrating the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King. The accolades and kind words offered up to his memory were testimony to the level of sacrifice Dr. King offered on behalf of all Americans.
I was in elementary school when he was murdered. I do remember hearing bits and pieces of his speeches in class, and even as a small kid being captivated by his command of language & his passion when preaching.
When I think back to speeches like the "I've Been to the Mountaintop" the night of 3 April 1968 at Mason Temple, three questions constantly come to mind.
One, what would Dr. King say today if he were living among us? On many levels, progress has been made. Multitudes of Americans benefit from his efforts to further equality among all of us. However, that journey isn't completely done. There are still areas where any of us are unfairly judged "by the color of our skin rather than the content of our character".
Two, would Dr. King be dismayed by the complacency and frivolity so evident in American culture? Our educational system isn't anywhere near where it needs to be - that means student commitment as well as system effectiveness. Too many of us worship at the altar of conspicuous consumption. Too few of us adhere to the Godly principle of "treat others as you'd want to be treated".
Three, would we as a nation be willing to listen to his advice? As a nation, we are more fractured than we were then. Individual desire seems to have trumped action for the common good.
On one level, Dr. King was just a man. Many today would probably say "who is this guy trampling on my freedom, trying to tell me how to live?" On a different level, he was one of a number of people in our shared history who have pushed our society forward, even despite active societal resistance.
For me, his message resonates just as strong today as it did back in the 60s. Can you identify what oppresses you today? Are you willing to confront it?
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