A Challenge Received, Answered, and Given

Today I attended a Dr Martin Luther King Jr.lecture. I try to do this each year. Remembering him and his work is almost like attending a church service, as learning what others do to help their fellow man, nourishes my faith and strengthens my resolve to try to emulate their example, no matter how feeble my efforts may be in comparison.

These lectures always remind me of the ripple effect we all have on others and this speaker used the dash reference that makes us all want to be remembered for what we did between the years of our birth and death. She reiterated what I already knew, but had put in the back of my mind, that Dr King was neither the last nor the first to be a champion of civil rights and equality, nor did he only have in mind the black man when he worked for it. What makes him so different than many however was his dedication to following non violence while fighting violence, to engage the disengaged, and his acceptance of the fact that he would not be able to engage all. His commitment however, to both God and ALL of his fellow men on earth was imbedded into him and he was willing to suffer hardship, ridicule, incarceration, and even death, to allow others to get to "the promised land".

None of us are there yet. Many women and those in traditionally held women's positions both at the workplace and at home, still are not equally rewarded. Many times, those in lower socioeconomic families of communities are looked upon as never being able to rise above their current status. Even in the schools, different expectations are projected on different students, depending upon who their parents or siblings are.

Moreover our community's lack of diversity sometimes makes us unable to see the need to even recognize the role that Dr King played in achieving what we have to date. Though some of us can remember when schools were integrated, officially allowing black students equal access to education, the right of the black person to vote without bogus tests that few white men could pass [How many bubbles ARE there in a bar of soap?], and the unease of being moved to an integrated school, how many realize that on the back of these rights, so many other marginalized groups were now going to have a premise by which to receive some of their rights as well? In addition, how many of us are young enough to take all these things for granted so are not aware that these rights are precious and their cost so high?

I contend that we still have those who are disengaged today. Either not realizing the true wroth of what they do have or they are in the position where they still don't have the rights some others do. Black and white. Young and old. Rich and poor. Well educated and poorly so. Too many still don't realize what the right to vote means because they've always had it. Don't realize what the chance to be educated means as they haven't had to live in a country where it was denied. Don't realize what it is to be a minority only because they have never experienced being one in a society. And don't realize the importance of empowering their fellow man to be the best they can be because they have never been in a position of being unable to help themselves.

Yesterday Dr King and many civil rights workers, both black and white, made history. Tomorrow with the inauguration of our 44th president we will get to take a step towards that "promised land" as many of ustoo have taken part in history through the democratic process. No matter for whom you cast your vote, OUR president's inauguration will be a historic milestonefor ALL. Especially for all those who have not been treated as equals in the past and for those who still see more to be done in the future. Even those who did not vote and thus disengaged from what it means to truly be an American are part of this history.

I hope this inauguration will engage more to become aware of the fact that they are an integral part of history by being an American alone and that each of them can choose to become engaged in making our country better. Better for all of its citizens and those of the rest of the world as well by following Dr King's example of making decisions that benefit all, not just themselves. No matter how small it may seem, America is the sum of ALL of our parts.

I urge all to watch tomorrow's inaugural speeches and fan fare, whether live or recorded, and become engaged in the enormity of what it means. We are Americans. We can do anything. Each one of us has our own small part that will add up to greatness if we all engage and take ownership of what we have.