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