The Mind of KLH

On this day, I am one of many who will reflect, talk, meditate on, or write about one of our greatest citizens, Martin Luther King.  Born January 15, 1929, educated in our nations colleges, and polished to a razor sharp edge in violently protested peace marches and dirty jail cells.  MLK was a man with flaws, but in spite of those flaws he rose to speak to a nation that had lost it’s way.  America Home of the Free, had become any but that for many of it’s citizens.  A movement began to resist ungodly persecution, and an institutionalized apartheid, not unlike that found in South Africa.  A reluctant leader came to the fore to lead this so called civil rights movement, to help it achieve it’s righteous goal of peace and equality for people of color.  That leader became the voice of a people that had grown impatient and fully ready to claim it’s rightful place at the table of The American Dream.

On August 28, 1963 between 250,000 to 400, 000 people gathered in Washington DC before the Lincoln Memorial to hear the keynote speaker of the March On Washington For Jobs And Freedom.  I don’t think anybody understood what they were about to witness.  This reluctant leader Martin Luther King gave what is widely believed to be one of the two or three greatest and most influential speeches ever given.  I Have A Dream is what he said.  He spoke in lofty often times thunderous words about his aspiration for our country.  He said that as great as our country was it could not achieve it’s full greatness while oppressing some of it’s people.  Martin challenged The United States of America to do what it should do.  He used it’s own founding principles to say that America must live up to it’s own creed.

Because of the leadership of Martin Luther King and the sacrifices, blood, sweat, and tears of thousands of righteous soldiers the Civil Rights Bill was signed into law by President Johnson in 1964 and the Voting Rights Act was signed into law a year later in 1965.  This was all done with peaceful resistance, powerful oratory, and a refusal to accept anything less than what was righteous and deserved.  The work of Dr. King and many others ultimately lead to a surprising prophecy made by Robert Kennedy shortly before his assassination in 1968.  He said that the United States would have a “negro president” in forty years.  Forty years later in 2008 Barrack Obama was elected to become the 44th president of The United States of America.  Clearly Dr. King would have been proud having seen the realization of at least some of his Dream.

So here we are in 2012…with a black president that a lot of people hate.  Here we are in 2012 where there are more people living in or close to poverty, than there has been in decades.  Here we are in 2012 where people of color do indeed have civil rights, but way too many have no moral compass.  In 2012 more black men under 30 will go to jail than will go to college.  In 2012 the highest cause of death amongst young black men will be homicide…by the hands of another black man.  In 2012 the middle class is shrinking and our elected officials don’t even mention the poor.  What about the Dream?

2012 is a great time to reflect on Dr. King, what he fought for, and what he died for.  Many believe that 2012 will mark the end of the world as we know it.  I’d suggest that may be a good thing.  As we celebrate the life of one of our greatest Americans, let’s think about what we can do to advance the Dream.  Lets make our voices heard like Martin did.  Let’s speak truth to power like Martin did.  Let’s take rightful action to end poverty, to bring jobs back, and make sure that all Americans have equal access to the American Dream.  Let’s commit to ending the violence that is taking our young people away from us.

We have come so far, and there is a lot to be proud of as Americans.  However we still have a long way to go before we are Free At Last.  I call on each and every one of you to do something to help and even challenge our country to be great as it should be.  As for me I am building an organization to help eradicate youth violence.  It’s called Peace Squad.  I need help.  I need soldiers willing to do the hard work with me.  I have a very simple website up so that I can accumulate ideas and suggestions on how we can stop youth violence.  I’d love to hear from everybody.  God knows I have my flaws…and I’m no MLK…but I’m inspired by him…and so I am acting… and I hope you will too.  Then someday we can finally get to that place where we are all truly Free At Last.

Please visit the site by clicking on this link  - www.peacesquad.org

Stay Fly and Fly High
KLH

Happy New Year to you all!  This is a time when so many of us reflect on the year past and anticipate the year ahead.  This past year has seen a lot of things happen.  The rise of the Tea Party and the Occupy Wall Street movements.  Presidential campaigns are in full swing.  Babies were born and unfortunately we lost a lot of people.  I’d like to mention a few.  Steve Jobs technological revolutionary, Nick Ashford half of the genius songwriting team Ashford and Simpson.  Amy Winehouse the soulful and tragic songstress, Clarence Clemons the great sax player behind Bruce Springstein.  We also lost the eternally opinionated and witty Andy Rooney.  No longer with us the sworn enemy of America Osama bin Laden.  Moammar Gadhafi, and Kim Jong Il are gone too, many are happy with the deaths of these last three, but death to me is always sad, even when it’s deserved.

Trust me I’m getting to 2012.

Troy Davis was executed after having been convicted of murdering a police officer.  Normally I am a supporter of the death penalty, but this case was, to say the least very problematic.  Eyewitness testimony was either very questionable and in a couple of cases recanted and there was no physical evidence to connect him to the murder.  So after a number of appeals Troy was executed even though in the minds of many people he was innocent.  A lot of people, me included, think justice died the day Troy was executed.

We also lost a young man named Mikyle Frank.  By all accounts a very popular, loving, and loved person.  He was in his early 30′s and he was stabbed in a bar over some foolish little argument.  Over nothing a young father is gone…the victim of senseless violence.  In response to the tragic loss of Mikyle and many other young people at the cold hand of meaningless violence I have decided to launch an organization called Peace Squad.  I intend to take the fight to the violence that is taking our young people away from us.  Please visit the website at http://www.peacesquad.org for details and please understand it’s about to go down in 2012.

So yes we are here in what many believe to be a very significant year 2012.  The ancient Mayan people of South America were great astrologers and mathematicians and they created amongst other things a Long Count calender.  This calender delineated a 5,126 year era.  The end of the current era is December 12, 2012.  Many very devout people think on that date there will be a huge shift of some kind.  Perhaps a shift in the global mindset.  A spiritual shift that will unite mankind.  Others who are equally devout believe 12-12-2012 will bring the Apocalypse…the end of the world as we know it.

Personally I don’t believe in any of that stuff.  I’m not into astrology, I think we make our own choices and those choices have certain consequences good or bad.  However, I do think we can use these End Of The World pronouncements to our advantage.  The last year has been really difficult for many people, me included.  So, why not use this year of 2012 to create the world as we would like it to be? 

We do not have to accept that violence will always take our young people away from us.  We do not have to accept that our politicians will never care about us, the people who they are supposed to work for.  If you’re over weight, that is not your destiny unless you decide that it is.  If you’re in a relationship that doesn’t honor you, and make you better, that doesn’t have to be a life sentence.  If the recession has dealt you a bad hand, you can throw those cards away, the game is not over. 

My point is that whatever you didn’t like about 2011 can be changed in 2012.  This year can be exactly what you want it to be…but you have to REALLY want it.  You have to be willing to roll up your sleeves and jump in.  The work may be hard, but the pay off can be staggering.  So what do you want?  A better paying job…or any job at all?  You can have that.  Lower or eliminate your debt, a new car or just a reliable car…you can have that.  How about a world where your kids can be safe, because violence is something we only ‘used to know’…yep…we can have that too.  What’s important to you?  Do you want to be in love?  Do you want to record an album, plant a garden on land you own, send your kids to a great college, visit your parents in another state?  What do you want for your life?  How do you want this world you live in to be? 

No matter what you want, no matter how ambitious your dreams and desires are, you are just a number of steps away.  Here’s the thing that makes all the awesomeness of your goals manageable…ALL YOU CAN EVER DO IS THE NEXT THING.  People tend to get intimidated by big goals and consequently throw up their hands and walk away.  They settle for a life that is easier to see.  Don’t settle!  Any goal imaginable can be broken down into small chunks that you can acomplish today.  Want to lose 100 pounds?  Pick up the phone and make an appointment with your doctor or join a gym.  You don’t have to do the sit-ups today…just call and join.  Want to start a business selling solar panels?  Do a Google search on where to buy solar panels.  You don’t have to order, ship and sell them today.  Just take one step…and after that another…and then another. 

People who do big things know that there is a pay off at the end of a thousand steps.  People who live small only see the thousand steps…they get winded before they even move…and they give up on their dreams.  2012 can be your year.  This year can change your life.  Greatness in whatever endeavor you choose is within your grasp.  But you have to reach out.  Greatness will not drag you out of bed.  You have to get up and get after it.  You have to chase it down…but if you believe…greatness can be yours.  Greatness in what ever is important to you, is right around the corner…waiting for you.

So yes 2012 is, or certainly can be The End Of The World As We Know It.  I am so ready for a new day…a new life…This is my year.  2012 is my year…and it’s yours too.  We are all giants with awesome powers…we just have to except that it is true.  I’m so excited for you.

Stay Fly and Fly High,
KLH