The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, speaks to thousands during his "I Have a Dream" speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington on Aug. 28, 1963 (Photo: TNS)
Dr. King Called On Us to Express the Better Angels of Our Souls
Dr. King’s commitment provides a wonderful example for all of us, but particularly for the young. By the wisdom of his teaching, the justice of his cause, the intensity of his commitment, he helped transform America.
Schools across the country celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Day today. At every level, students learn about King, the movement he helped lead and the teachings and legacy he left behind.
There are dramatic readings of his words. Many schools show his historic "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial, a speech given before hundreds of thousands. Even in Key West, Florida, students at the local Montessori school hang handmade posters with quotes from King written in crayon. "Everyone can be great," reads one. "Civil rights should be equal," reads another. "We should remember that everything Hitler did was legal," reads a third.
His mission was to build a national movement of poor people who would march on Washington, calling on the nation to revive the War on Poverty, a war that was being lost in the jungles of Vietnam, as billions were squandered in that misbegotten war that might have been used to make America better.
I had the privilege of being with Dr. King on his last birthday. He had breakfast at home with his family. Then he came to work at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference headquarters. He was organizing the Poor People's Campaign, which he hoped would be the climax of the third chapter of the Civil Rights Movement, the struggle for economic justice.
He met with organizers from across races and regions--from members of the Latino community, to Native Americans, women and men, young and old. His mission was to build a national movement of poor people who would march on Washington, calling on the nation to revive the War on Poverty, a war that was being lost in the jungles of Vietnam, as billions were squandered in that misbegotten war that might have been used to make America better.
Later that day, King's staff surprised him with a cake and a celebration, bringing a smile to his face. But King was tireless in his mission. He seemed to sense that he had little time and there was so much yet to be done.
Dr. King's commitment provides a wonderful example for all of us, but particularly for the young. He did not order an army; he inspired people to act and to volunteer. He amassed no fortune. He did not hold high office. Yet, by the wisdom of his teaching, the justice of his cause, the intensity of his commitment, he helped transform America, leading it out of the shame of segregation and toward a more perfect union.
Dr. King believed that everyone could be great because everyone could serve. He was utterly committed to challenging injustice and to nonviolence as the only sane way to bring change. He believed that everyone had a decency within them, that by challenging injustice and at the same time, appealing to the humanity of the oppressors, change was possible. And the civil rights movement that he helped lead proved that to be true.
Today, Dr. King's example is more important than ever. Inequality has reached new extremes. We have a president that purposefully rouses racial and ethnic fears and divisions. Politics has become bitter, partisan, and increasingly marked by extreme and often hateful rhetoric. We are spending more and more on the Pentagon--already the largest military budget by far in the world--and cutting back on programs for the vulnerable, everything from food stamps, to Medicaid, to public housing and aid for poor schools and students. We end up with guided missiles and misguided young people--a tragic waste.
Today, a new Poor People's Campaign is building, organizing lines of race, region, and religion.
It has been marching on state legislatures and now is increasing pressure on Washington. It is not about right or left, but about right and wrong. Dr. King called on us to express the better angels of our souls. Now, as we celebrate his life, we would do well to put his lessons into practice.
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This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Schools across the country celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Day today. At every level, students learn about King, the movement he helped lead and the teachings and legacy he left behind.
There are dramatic readings of his words. Many schools show his historic "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial, a speech given before hundreds of thousands. Even in Key West, Florida, students at the local Montessori school hang handmade posters with quotes from King written in crayon. "Everyone can be great," reads one. "Civil rights should be equal," reads another. "We should remember that everything Hitler did was legal," reads a third.
His mission was to build a national movement of poor people who would march on Washington, calling on the nation to revive the War on Poverty, a war that was being lost in the jungles of Vietnam, as billions were squandered in that misbegotten war that might have been used to make America better.
I had the privilege of being with Dr. King on his last birthday. He had breakfast at home with his family. Then he came to work at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference headquarters. He was organizing the Poor People's Campaign, which he hoped would be the climax of the third chapter of the Civil Rights Movement, the struggle for economic justice.
He met with organizers from across races and regions--from members of the Latino community, to Native Americans, women and men, young and old. His mission was to build a national movement of poor people who would march on Washington, calling on the nation to revive the War on Poverty, a war that was being lost in the jungles of Vietnam, as billions were squandered in that misbegotten war that might have been used to make America better.
Later that day, King's staff surprised him with a cake and a celebration, bringing a smile to his face. But King was tireless in his mission. He seemed to sense that he had little time and there was so much yet to be done.
Dr. King's commitment provides a wonderful example for all of us, but particularly for the young. He did not order an army; he inspired people to act and to volunteer. He amassed no fortune. He did not hold high office. Yet, by the wisdom of his teaching, the justice of his cause, the intensity of his commitment, he helped transform America, leading it out of the shame of segregation and toward a more perfect union.
Dr. King believed that everyone could be great because everyone could serve. He was utterly committed to challenging injustice and to nonviolence as the only sane way to bring change. He believed that everyone had a decency within them, that by challenging injustice and at the same time, appealing to the humanity of the oppressors, change was possible. And the civil rights movement that he helped lead proved that to be true.
Today, Dr. King's example is more important than ever. Inequality has reached new extremes. We have a president that purposefully rouses racial and ethnic fears and divisions. Politics has become bitter, partisan, and increasingly marked by extreme and often hateful rhetoric. We are spending more and more on the Pentagon--already the largest military budget by far in the world--and cutting back on programs for the vulnerable, everything from food stamps, to Medicaid, to public housing and aid for poor schools and students. We end up with guided missiles and misguided young people--a tragic waste.
Today, a new Poor People's Campaign is building, organizing lines of race, region, and religion.
It has been marching on state legislatures and now is increasing pressure on Washington. It is not about right or left, but about right and wrong. Dr. King called on us to express the better angels of our souls. Now, as we celebrate his life, we would do well to put his lessons into practice.
Schools across the country celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Day today. At every level, students learn about King, the movement he helped lead and the teachings and legacy he left behind.
There are dramatic readings of his words. Many schools show his historic "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial, a speech given before hundreds of thousands. Even in Key West, Florida, students at the local Montessori school hang handmade posters with quotes from King written in crayon. "Everyone can be great," reads one. "Civil rights should be equal," reads another. "We should remember that everything Hitler did was legal," reads a third.
His mission was to build a national movement of poor people who would march on Washington, calling on the nation to revive the War on Poverty, a war that was being lost in the jungles of Vietnam, as billions were squandered in that misbegotten war that might have been used to make America better.
I had the privilege of being with Dr. King on his last birthday. He had breakfast at home with his family. Then he came to work at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference headquarters. He was organizing the Poor People's Campaign, which he hoped would be the climax of the third chapter of the Civil Rights Movement, the struggle for economic justice.
He met with organizers from across races and regions--from members of the Latino community, to Native Americans, women and men, young and old. His mission was to build a national movement of poor people who would march on Washington, calling on the nation to revive the War on Poverty, a war that was being lost in the jungles of Vietnam, as billions were squandered in that misbegotten war that might have been used to make America better.
Later that day, King's staff surprised him with a cake and a celebration, bringing a smile to his face. But King was tireless in his mission. He seemed to sense that he had little time and there was so much yet to be done.
Dr. King's commitment provides a wonderful example for all of us, but particularly for the young. He did not order an army; he inspired people to act and to volunteer. He amassed no fortune. He did not hold high office. Yet, by the wisdom of his teaching, the justice of his cause, the intensity of his commitment, he helped transform America, leading it out of the shame of segregation and toward a more perfect union.
Dr. King believed that everyone could be great because everyone could serve. He was utterly committed to challenging injustice and to nonviolence as the only sane way to bring change. He believed that everyone had a decency within them, that by challenging injustice and at the same time, appealing to the humanity of the oppressors, change was possible. And the civil rights movement that he helped lead proved that to be true.
Today, Dr. King's example is more important than ever. Inequality has reached new extremes. We have a president that purposefully rouses racial and ethnic fears and divisions. Politics has become bitter, partisan, and increasingly marked by extreme and often hateful rhetoric. We are spending more and more on the Pentagon--already the largest military budget by far in the world--and cutting back on programs for the vulnerable, everything from food stamps, to Medicaid, to public housing and aid for poor schools and students. We end up with guided missiles and misguided young people--a tragic waste.
Today, a new Poor People's Campaign is building, organizing lines of race, region, and religion.
It has been marching on state legislatures and now is increasing pressure on Washington. It is not about right or left, but about right and wrong. Dr. King called on us to express the better angels of our souls. Now, as we celebrate his life, we would do well to put his lessons into practice.