‘The time is always right to do what’s right’

By Leslie B. , American Family Insurance Inclusive Excellence Director

Nonviolence is a love-centered way of thinking, speaking, acting and engaging that leads to personal, cultural and societal transformation.

As we celebrate this year’s 2024 MLK Day theme: Shifting the cultural climate through the study and practice of Kingian nonviolence, I feel it best to first articulate the meaning of this concept to ensure understanding.

The King Center, founded in 1968, describes Kingian nonviolence as the philosophy behind nonviolent conflict reconciliation. This is based on the great work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the powerful organizing strategies he leveraged during the Civil Rights Movement. It is a holistic view of conflict which includes understanding the Principles of Nonviolence (the values of a community), and the Steps of Nonviolence Conflict Reconciliation (ways to address and restore relationships).

This philosophy, inspired by Mohandas K. Gandhi, includes six principles:

1. Nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people.
2. Nonviolence seeks to win friendship and understanding.
3. Nonviolence seeks to defeat injustice or evil, not people.
4. Nonviolence holds that unearned, voluntary suffering for a cause can educate and transform people and societies.
5. Nonviolence chooses love instead of hate.
6. Nonviolence believes that the universe is on the side of justice.

Dr. King’s leadership has been my inspiration since I was a little girl.

From reading the literature about his life and legacy to regularly listening to his engaging speeches — each filled with themes of forgiveness, freedom, peace, courage, justice, and love — I made a commitment: it starts with me, and I would do my very best to model the behavior, practice the principles and keep those lessons close. As we observe this holiday and commit to service, let us remind ourselves that, “the time is always right to do what is right.”

As we take the time this month to more deeply reflect on Dr. King’s great impact, I hope you will remember one my favorite of his quotes, “Nonviolence is absolute commitment to the way of love. Love is not emotional bash; it is not empty sentimentalism. It is the active outpouring of one’s whole being into the being of another.”

Happy birthday, Dr. King!

Source: TheKingCenter.org