After New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is the second federal holiday celebrated every year. The day bears a familiar cadence. Schools and offices close, ceremonies and luncheons are held, quotes are shared on social media and then life returns to normal the next day.
King did not give his life so that his legacy could be reduced to a long weekend or a few well-worn soundbites.
The message King spoke was a call to action, inspiring change to provide justice for all. He challenged our nation to confront inequality and reminded us that progress does not happen on its own. He stressed that choosing to be silent while observing injustice would not bring about change.
Historians call King a dreamer, but we feel beyond that he spoke hard truths that all Americans needed to hear. His message still applies today. He felt urged every person to stand up, speak out and love boldly in the face of hate.
How do we honor King’s legacy?
We can start by listening and recalling some of his poignant words, which resonate today as much as they did during the heat of the Civil Rights movement decades ago.
“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,” King said.
Leaders in Washington and all of us walking the streets of America would be wise to heed that advice.
King had as many enemies as friends, maybe more. It comes with the territory in his line of work. He knew what happened April 4, 1968, was a possibility, even likely. He preached about death often, increasingly over the days, weeks and months before his assassination.
“Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now,” the Rev. King said in a speech in Memphis the night before his assassination. “I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!”
We aren’t there yet. There are miles to go and the distance seems farther almost daily.
Meaningful dialogue, where tangible agreements can be reached, is impossible. Too often these discussions — held at the dinner table, water cooler or church pew — immediately pivot to fingerpointing, yelling and separation.
It is because in America, we seem to be too lazy, too uncomfortable or too stubborn to listen to an alternate viewpoint.
We dig deeper into our own foxholes and algorithm-driven social media feeds, knowing the other side is wrong.
In a visit to Washington’s National Cathedral, just weeks before his death, King delivered a sermon that perfectly personifies what many need to hear today, a message that seeps through most pressing issues — guns, health care, immigration, foreign policy — and crosses all political boundaries.
“Cowardice asks the question — is it safe?” King preached that day. “Conscience asks the question — is it right?”
CNHI News Service