January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968

posted by The Vidiot @ 10:07 PM Permalink

In my hubris I think that I can write words that sway and speak truth to power.

In my hubris, I think that marching in a free speech zone is important.

In my hubris, I think that donating money to a cause counts as making a difference.

But today of all days I have to be honest with myself. I have to acknowledge I'm ten years older than Martin Luther King Jr. was when he was murdered. And 20 years older than when he was jailed for writing, marching and spending all his time and money for justice.

He realized that he was speaking for all people. He realized that none of us are free until all of us are free. And I realize that I haven't really risked anything.

In light of the above I only have Dr. King's words for comfort, and considering what he lived and died for and considering what I have done to advance that cause, they are small comfort to me. But they are still words to live and die for:

"A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom."
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness."
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people."
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Human salvation lies in the hands of the creatively maladjusted."
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal."
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. "
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: - 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.' "
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

I do have one minor thing to add that may bring the focus from the general to the familial.