Celebrating the Life and Teachings of MLK
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
On January 15, we will celebrate the life and teachings Martin Luther King, Jr. More than just a reverend, the brilliant and fiery orator is considered one of the most influential figures of the 20th century.
Dr. King not only fought for the rights of African-Americans at a time when they were oppressed, he also championed the causes of the poor: janitors, single mothers, other minority groups and even impoverished whites. In fact, one of the last things MLK did before being assassinated in Memphis, in 1968, was co-organize the Poor People’s Campaign, which was to highlight the plight of American citizens living below the poverty line, both black and white.
The curse of being an iconic figure is that you become iconic, meaning you become a sort of symbol to people, no longer seen as a human being. Today, Dr. King is associated with the Civil Rights era, famous inspiring speeches, and grassroots activism. However, he was a highly controversial figure in his time and was even monitored by the U.S. government.
This Martin Luther King Day, we should examine the life of this complicated but highly-accomplished man to better understand him. Even if you didn’t agree with some of his political ideologies, his teachings through his sermons and writings is worth studying. Christians can find a wealth of wisdom from this brilliant Bible scholar and theologian.
Dr. King was actually a conservative and would have been a great role model for traditional Republicans. Political activists can learn a lot from his socialist ideas about helping the poor and disadvantaged. Students can follow his example of being a model citizen and treating your peers with respect. Regardless of your race, class, religion or political leaning, people today can find gems from Dr. King’s teachings.
Although Fort Bend County doesn’t officially have a parade scheduled for MLK Day, citizens can go to nearby Houston, where a grand parade is planned for January 16. The parade will begin at 10:00 AM, on San Jacinto Street & Elgin Street.