Blind Prophecy

So, I’m working from home today on my “holiday.” I meant to get up and hit the gym early and work from an internet cafe, but the laundry basket demanded some attention, so I’ve been trying to get work done from my room despite the distractions of television and the mindset of being at home.

This is sort of a special MLK for me. For utterly ridiculous reasons, I feel like the legacy of Dr. King is a bit more personal and real after meeting Yolanda King last September. Yeah, that’s silly, I know, but she really did humanize the King family for me, instead of being historical textbook figures.

I don’t know that I have anything especially important to contribute to Martin Luther King day, but I would like to pull out some of my favorite Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. quotes…

Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars… Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.

From Coretta Scott King:

We have a lot more work to do in our common struggle against bigotry and discrimination. I say ‘common struggle’ because I believe very strongly that all forms of bigotry and discrimination are equally wrong and should be opposed by right-thinking Americans everywhere. Freedom from discrimination based on sexual orientation is surely a fundamental human right in any great democracy, as much as freedom from racial, religious, gender, or ethnic discrimination.

Freedom and justice cannot be parceled out in pieces to suit political convenience. I don’t believe you can stand for freedom for one group of people and deny it to others.

Struggle is a never ending process. Freedom is never really won you earn it and win it in every generation.

For many years now, I have been an outspoken supporter of civil and human rights for gay and lesbian people. Gays and lesbians stood up for civil rights in Montgomery, Selma, in Albany, Ga. and St. Augustine, Fla., and many other campaigns of the Civil Rights Movement. Many of these courageous men and women were fighting for my freedom at a time when they could find few voices for their own, and I salute their contributions.

From Yolanda King (at the Out & Equal Workplace Summit in Chicago):

In the 1950s and 60s, African-American men and women made some choices–often dangerous ones–and they were joined by men and women of goodwill, gay and straight, from all races and backgrounds, and together, tremedous progress was made toward the betterment of our nation.

The civil rights movement served as the inspiration and paved the way for all the movements for human rights which followed it–the women’s movement, the peace movement, and, of course, the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans.

We have come a long way. And while the scars and stains of racism remain, the fact is, racial discrimination is no longer legal. However, discrimination under the rule of law still exists. If you are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, you do not have the same rights as other Americans. You cannot marry. And while there has been some progress, thanks to the work this organization [Out & Equal Workplace Advocates] in the workplace, you still face discrimination in the workplace, and in our armed forces. For a nation that prides itself on liberty, justice and equaity for all, this it totally unacceptable.

Anyway, in a time when haters like the Concerned Women of America get away with making comments like, “To compare rich, privileged homosexual lobby groups allied with transsexuals and sadomasochists to brave civil rights crusaders — who risked their lives to advance freedom — insults every black American who overcame real injustice and poverty. It’s time for the homosexual lobby to stop co-opting the black civil rights struggle” – it’s refreshing to know that many people still remember the true legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Filed under: livejournal by Jere Keys