WRITEON FOR JAN 23
sister alies.
“Who would true valor see, Let him come hither; One here will constant be, come wind, come weather. There's no discouragement shall make him once relent His first avowed intent To be a pilgrim.” (John Bunyan)
MLKs pilgrimage was one of true valor and for a young man, only 36 when he died, he was faced with people and issues, dilemmas and concerns that few people have had to face, at least not all at once.
For many of us present today in our 60s & 70s we remember well Dr. King's appearances, marches, speeches, terms in jail, and certainly his untimely death by assassination. For our younger friends it is a matter of history. In either case we are called upon to remember, to be educated, and to be deepened in zeal by standing up as he did for justice, for doing what is right.
“On our way rejoicing, as we forward move: hearken to our praises, O Thou God of Love! Amen!” (Monsell/Havergal). Were we indeed on our way rejoicing? Were we walking, walking, walking with one another? Striding, Stretching, moving, hand in hand? Perhaps we are standing still, watching others oppressed, abused, or set aside? Perhaps rather than people of the Way, we are mere bystanders? What do we carry together that will make for the common good?
Jan 21 we celebrated a federal holiday dedicated to the life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr. that day has been celebrated for several years in Choctaw County, sponsored by the local NAACP. This year was the third that included a walk for justice (Ms. Thomas, currently of De Kalb was the Grand Marshall!) followed by the program in the courthouse. Donna Dillworth was the MC and encouraged the mayors, the TOTAL PRAISE dance team, the poets and speakers to help us remember and use some of his insight to deal with current problems. Correta Scott King once said that freedom had to be won not once for all but in every generation.
Why might you ask do we need such a celebration? I suggest one aspect: it reveals the power of one and how one person can effect many others. (How many of you were in Ms. Thomas' many 4th grades?) MLK Was a TREKKIE!...yes, a fan of STAR TREK and its various developmental forms. Actress Nichelle Nichols went to King worried...and he convinced her to remain on the program as she was the first black character. She did. Later she actually went to work for NASA. Perhaps that's a bit silly you think? Well, the story continues: Astronaut Ronald McNair the second black person in space got there because he was inspired by Uhura! Sadly he passed in the CHALLENGER.
We saw King gather crowds around him, marches formed of poor people, his home church, or garbage workers. He stood out because he stood for something, he stood for them. He would never say he did it all by himself...of course not. Though he received the Nobel Peace Prize, the Congressional Medal of Honor, and the Medal of Freedom, he knew that others followed and began a way of living for justice because he was willing to step out. He took credit where credit was due...he stepped out...others followed.
The first MLK Day was 1986, having been signed into law by president Reagan in 1983. it was finally celebrated in all 50 stated in 2000 hen Arizona came on board.
You might not remember this, though it's contents might just have cost him his life...the GRAMMY won for the Best Spoken Word Recording category posthumously awarded in 1971 called: “Why I Oppose the Vietnam War”.
I'd also like to remember Lorraine Bailey the wife of the motel owner who died that day of a heart attack.
Did you step out? Step up...step on for justice? You never know how your example will inspire someone.
“I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right temporarily defeated is stronger than evil triumphant!” (MLK, Nobel Acceptance speech)
