Martin Luther King Day

[usafmedic45]

OK....what follows (something I wrote as an e-mail to some discussion lists I belong to) is going to sound a little weird as a post from a dyed in the wool misanthrope such as myself, but you have to remember, a thick skin and bitter attitude doesn't mean I'm not trying to be a better person every single day (it just means I'm failing miserably at the attempt so far).

Let us all take today to honor a man who would have been 82 today if not for the bigotry, stupidity and hatred of his fellow man.

In honor of the birthday of a great man who did so much for the country that I call home and, on a wider scale, served as an inspiration to those around the world seeking only to be treated as equals and judged by something more than their color and creed, I would like to quote Dr. King: "Have we not come to such an impasse in the modern world that we must love our enemies or else? The chain reaction of evil- hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars - must be broken or else we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation."

Dr. King has been someone I have held in high regard since I was child. Though he died before I was born, the effects of the movement he helped further- along with so many others, many of whom will never be remembered or given the respect due them for their efforts and a number of whom would probably be offended to be singled out for their efforts due to great humility on their parts- continue to ripple through this nation.

Perhaps it is a sign of how cynical one becomes as they age that I find it hard at times to honestly believe we will ever achieve anything close to the dream Dr. King is so famous for advocating. It might be too long in a career that exposes one to an unfairly biased side of society, the seemly underbelly that often causes the spirits of good men and women to wither like grapes left unharvested in the glaring sun of a desert. Could it be that simply our society and its constant focus on the negative aspects of itself erodes our faith in our fellow man much as an incoming tide erodes the sand under the feet of a man standing on a beach?

Many amongst us would point out the answer as the type of insight, compassion and wisdom that Dr. King was in possession of is a rare and wondrous thing that seldom manifests itself. There are few things that could be farther from the truth. To look into the eyes of a child is to see compassion. As I watch my daughter discover new things, I see the gleam of insight as she learns. Look into the eyes of a battle weary veteran and you will see wisdom, albeit in one of it most costly forms. The next shift you work, look at your colleagues and see how they interact with patients from all walks of life, any manner of faith and sundry cultures. What you see is insight, compassion and wisdom.

What Dr. King had so far as traits are inherent in every one of us, both good and bad. He was not without his faults, but to paraphrase another famous religious leader, if you are, you can be the first one to cast stones. What makes Dr. King so unique was not that he carried himself with a poise and grace that set him apart, which he most certainly did. His command of the spoken English language was among the best to ever grace the face of this planet but even that did not make him the source of inspiration, even though it was arguably his strongest tool against his detractors and his greatest asset towards rallying those who supported him.

If one is forced to choose a single trait that put Dr. King into a class occupied by few others in recorded history, it would be a tough decision to make. In my case, at least, it was his ability to have all manner of ill will, frank hatred and unrepentant violence directed at himself and his family and still remain dedicated to the cause at hand, to move forward with vigor and to overcome all of that for a higher purpose. These things all effected him- that much is well documented- but he did not let it stop him or destroy his conviction that most people are genuinely decent folks that are worthy of love and support. Few people can maintain that sort of fortitude and drive in the face of such stiff resistance.

For everything he did for humanity as a whole, and especially the communities in this nation, he will eternally have my respect. May we all go forth over the ensuing days, weeks, months and years and strive to attempt to achieve those lofty goals Dr. King aspired to. Let us be ever vigilant and never be tolerant of those things he described when he said: "There is nothing in this world quite so dangerous as sincere ignorance or conscientious stupidity". While we may think it impossible to reach the true pinnacles of human achievement that he set the sights of so many upon, even if we fall short then at least we are in a better place than where we started.

 

[akflightmedic]

Martin Luther King, Jr., while an incredible leader, and in large portion responsible for the giant step forward in the equality that should be the natural-born right to every man and woman was also a plagiarist, a misogynist, cheated on his wife, and beat women. Nobody is perfect.

 

[frdude1000]

Ak, why don't you lay off this man? No, you are wrong. You are exaggerating his wrongdoings and if he ever did do one, he did so much good that I believe they are minor. Instead of being a cynical $4!& and causing an argument, I think it's best you stick to the positives.

 

[akflightmedic]

I am wrong? All of these things I have listed are well documented, so history is wrong.

I am a realist and believe wholeheartedly that if we honor someone, we should know everything about them...not a huge fan of selective history.

I did not discredit the man, I gave him props, but you must always take the good with the bad; you can not pick and choose only what you wish to believe or "remember".

This is not a racist issue...this is a human issue.