An Open Letter to Dr. King.

[Some years ago, I penned and read an open letter for a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday event. Some time has passed, but I would love to hear if you think it is still relevant.]

I am not one to write letters to dignitaries, politicians, celebrities and especially preachers. I volunteered to put something together on this momentous occasion, so I thought a letter to you would be appropriate. It’s 2015, and the world has changed a bit since you were taken from us almost 50 years ago. We are in the technological era now. We can’t work, think, act or move without utilizing computers. Some concepts that you were passionate about (and spoke out about) still exist - poverty, militarism, materialism and racism to name a few. There is a clear wealth inequity in this country - a large part of this divide is along racial lines as well. Prejudice, discrimination, and segregation are also still present - albeit not just racially anymore - there is a return to the religious nature of these facets. All of that being stated, we elected a black president - twice; who would have thought and he’s finishing up his second term. But there is still much work to be done.?

I am not writing you to tell you about all of these superficial facts. I am actually writing because I am a bit concerned about the state of our country and our world. You see, I am writing on the heels of recent national and international tragedies. Namely Ferguson, MO and Paris, France. And ironically, there have been a few marches which occurred soon thereafter for both. This marching thing you made popular has really taken a life of its own since you left us. What I am also noticing is that we are becoming a society that is beginning to display a blatant disregard for human life, no matter who they are. “If I don’t like you, maybe you deserve to die. If you don’t worship like me, maybe you deserve to die. If you don’t look like me, maybe you deserve to die.” Our culture has run amuck on this concept of dehumanizing people who don’t quite believe how we believe. And its not just in this country. It occurs everywhere - Syria, Egypt, Russia, China - I could go on. But as I think a little more about these state of affairs, that wasn’t much different from when you were alive. Which truly confirms that there is still work to be done.

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. ~Steve Jobs

I admire you because it took an unbelievable amount of courage and moral fortitude to engage in something the world was not used to - militant nonviolence (West, 2015). You really took that whole love your enemy idea that the Bible spoke of to a new level. And it shook up the world. You were honest - maybe too honest. And it rubbed people the wrong way. I actually don’t think you would want a holiday in your honor. You had this humble quality about you. Instead, maybe it should be called “Diversity Appreciation” day - no. But it should be a day where we are able to realize and appreciate everyone’s ethnic, religious and geographical differences. In business, we like to call it “diversity of thought” - where someone prefers to work with others of different genders, backgrounds, races, ages and education in order to garner fresh ideas and goals for an organization. But you saw the need for this way before it had become status quo. You saw that our differences make us stronger. And that, by holding specific populations down only weakens us as a society and nation. Ironically, you also demonstrated that radical aggression and violence for your cause is not the best way to accomplish your goals. Those who do not understand this today usually wind up killing innocent victims (to include children). No where in any religion does this constitute fairness. It often makes me wonder if the work you accomplished while you were alive was done in vain. Or maybe, its just that there is still more that needs to be done.

On today (your day), I thought about how you would react or respond to the state of affairs of today. Would you continue to march, would you have your own news show on MSNBC, would you continue to be a part of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference - or another non-profit that focuses on equality, or would you run for political office. Fame and money have a way of changing people and they often forget what got them to this point in their lives. What would action look like for you today? Would you take on the cause of other races and religions? Would you remain in effect for the African-Americans who are still struggling as a whole to overcome decades of slavery, segregation and discrimination? I know that you would not play the blame game, but would expect that things change. Always looking forward, but never into the rear-view mirror. I have to admit, as I get older, I look more and more into the rear-view mirror but from a learning perspective. I am fascinated with the plight of African-American people and the toll it has taken on subsequent generations. But I digress . . . What does action look like? What does it look like for me? Especially when I know that more work needs to be done.

In closing, Dr. King, I’m a bit frustrated with your holiday and the precedence that you have set. We don’t seem to have individuals like you anymore. You know, those that stand up for a cause and are willing to die for it - a noble cause albeit - one that benefits humanity. We are a bit more superficial. Today, our heroes are entertainers and athletes. Partly, because our media-driven and technological society realizes this is an easy way to exercise capitalism. I need to thank you, however. From someone who does not have many heroes - you are one. You were not perfect, but that made you more so in my eyes. I am grateful because the opportunities that I have had may not have been possible without your efforts. You demonstrated that despite over a hundred years of slavery and subjugation, that people of a different race and background can amount to something important. In the case of African-Americans, the results of that era continue to haunt us to this day. But inferiority can be overcome mentally, psychologically and physically. It’s challenging, but it can be done. I trust and hope that more people (of all races and religions) can understand that my life is just as valuable as theirs. And that my future is just as bright as theirs. But in the meantime, I will try harder to do some of this work.

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