Yesterday was Martin Luther King Day. Post offices and banks were closed in honor of this federal holiday. To my surprise some schools were open, not Minneapolis or St. Paul, but some of the suburban schools chose not to celebrate this federal holiday.
I remember as a kid having to learn about Washington and Lincoln in preparation for their federal holidays. Now only one day is celebrated as "President's Day" and I really wonder if there's any teaching about these great leaders and why we have President's Day to begin with. Does the younger generation know why we celebrate Martin Luther King Day?
Martin Luther King was part of the era when our nation was idealist and we took a stand for our dreams. It was a volatile time of marches and rallies and mistakes and ideals all clashing against the establishment. As I drove around the city yesterday I agreed with a talk show caller. I wish instead of taking school off in honor of these great men, the day would be devoted to learning about who and what they were. Even though my generation, and those before mine, was taught about Washington and Lincoln, we really didn't learn any details. They had in a very short time and just a few generations become a paragraph in a history book.
In the same way, the larger than life Martin Luther King whose words proclaimed "I have a DREAM!" in just a short time has been reduced to a couple flat paragraphs in Wikipedia. Does anyone today realize how much he contributed to the fabric of our nation? Does anyone realize the sacrifice he made? Does anyone understand the depth of conviction he had within to take the dangerous stand he did without? Does anyone question why he was shot when the FBI stood watching or why their surveillance records of him are sealed until 2027? Does the DREAM carry on, or have we idealists who marched and supported, become quiet?
Martin Luther King marched against many enemies, not just against prejudice. Controversy surrounded his friendships. The FBI watched him for possible Communist connections. Questions arose about his character and much was done to besmirch his message. Even leaders in his own race opposed his method. Those leaders never rose to the greatness of Martin Luther King. They never accomplished the national impact that his non-violent leadership did. Was his martyrdom the cause? Or, just maybe, it was catalyst for what was right!
Yes, Martin Luther King was the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner, but is his work just a memory or are we each continuing to work on the DREAM?
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