Thursday, May 16, 2024
Mr. King was a Baptist minister, activist, and political philosopher who was one of the most influential and prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 to his assassination in 1968. The son of an early civil rights activist and minister, he advanced civil rights for people of color by non-violent resistance and civil disobedience against Jim Crow laws and other forms of systemic discrimination in the United States.
Dr. King participated and led marches for the right to vote, labor rights, and other civil rights. He was one of the leaders of the 1963 march on Washington where he delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial; often proclaimed as one of the most influential speeches in American history. The contributions of Dr. King in no small way influenced changes in our society and led to landmark legislation like the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968.
Currently, our nation is divided, and our political direction seems muddled. While many politicians from both sides of the aisle scream and politicize issues, they ignore and disregard the option of coming together as one and working to find solutions to problems. Somehow, the idea of all Americans being brothers and having a shared destiny has gotten overshadowed. What exists is loyalty to party rather than country, and the lust for political gain rather than the advancement of our society.
The obstacles that our country faces are many, but they are not obstacles which we cannot overcome. It will require leadership. It compels a never-ending commitment to doing the right thing, to advance society for all, and to work together for the greater good. Dr King would say, “The time is always right to do what is right.”
The time is right for our elected officials to start acting like “leaders” and set forth a clear path for our nation. They should face political backlash from the extremist without fear, dare to reach across the aisle and make reasonable compromise, and create a vision for our future. Without a vision, without working together, without a commitment for our nation to succeed, rather than for a few, our very existence will be challenged.
Dr. King said, “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.” We are in a time of controversy. May the words and deeds of Dr. King influence us all to do better, to be better, and to demand better.
Until next time…I will keep ridin’ the storm out!
sam@hcnews.com
