“Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.”
― Rev. Dr.
Today also happens to be what would have been the 90th birthday of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr. It is a birthday commemoration taking place as we also remember that this year marks the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first enslaved Africans at Jamestown.
While Americans love them some Dr King today, he wasn't as well loved when he was assassinated 50 years ago. He had just a 25% approval rating according to Gallup polls at the time, and was beginning to stress a message of economic empowerment.
He also called on this country to do right by its Black citizens and make good on the human rights check marked insufficient funds.
It's interesting to not that the January 21 MLK Day will be taking place as a racist president has shut down the government and is holding 800,000 federal workers pay hostage because he can't get funding for his wall.
We're also regressing instead of progressing on human rights, voting rights and building the Beloved Community' that Dr King talked about in his speeches.
The 'Beloved Community' is a place not only free of injustice, but a society that actively promotes an ethic of love, justice, and humanity in its legal, political, and civic life, as well as its religious, spiritual, and moral spheres.
We definitely have some work to do to get to that point. It is not going to be an easy or quick path to getting there, and the road to it will have some potholes we'll need to fill.
But we will, and we must get to that point as a society.
Happy Birthday, Dr King. .
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