January 15

 

Today we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  We think of him as the voice of the Civil Rights Movement, although many others spoke, Dr. King, with his ministerial eloquence was the voice that resonated most.

It got him murdered.

 I was ten years old when he was shot in Memphis.  His death began a discussion among my fourth-grade peers, as the question I was asking myself and others was “how would I feel if I couldn’t do what other people do, simply because of the color of my skin?”   A simple child’s question but one I still think is valid.

How would you feel if you couldn’t do what other people do because of your:

Race

Creed

Sex or sexual identity.

 

They say we “cherry-pick” his words, but as a ten-year old, living in a thankfully diverse community, these words resonated best with me:

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

As a child, I could see that vision clearly.  As an adult I still cling to that dream.  Do I have pre-programmed biases. Yes, Yes I do, but I do my best to recognize them and dismiss them I remember what I heard once; “Your first thought is what you have been taught, the second is who you are”  I feel better about the way my brain sometimes works, because my second thought is usually WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT???

I have only read snippets of his Letter from Birmingham Jail and recently read how the bits and pieces were smuggled out of the jail and assembled by his staff.  When I can dedicate the proper amount of time to it, I plan to read it.  It is 27 pages, but the depth of his words must be taken in slowly, savored and considered.

But on this day, I will celebrate his success and think about what must be done to keep those who would destroy his work and legacy.