Thanks to a post from my friend Happy Green Tea, sharing her experiences listening to Cornel West speak at the University of Utah, I’ve been thinking about how I’d like to recognize Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. She wrote of West’s presentation:

he was brought to the u to speak about dr. martin luther king jr. and he started out by saying that society has santa clausified dr. king.  that we pretend to believe he wasn’t considered one of the most dangerous men in the us by the fbi.  that his leadership threatened people in power.  and that by disinfecting dr. king’s legacy is an injustice to who he was as a person who worked towards the betterment of our society.

What a powerful reminder. Dr. King was considered one of the most dangerous men in the United States of America. His civil rights leadership, his poor people’s campaign, his questioning of the Vietnam War… all these things earned him a very bad rap with the FBI and J. Edgar Hoover. His ability to galvanize followers, his association with free thinkers (such as those willing to look beyond the propaganda against communism), his unwavering dedication to certain moral absolutes, perhaps Dr. King’s greatest contribution comes from his “Dangerous Ideas.”

Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C. [Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speaking.], 08/28/1963. From The National Archives and Records Administration.

So today, I want to think about Dangerous Ideas in equality, compassion, and peace. I’m not sure I’m capable of having truly Dangerous Ideas… perhaps it’s just a problem of perspective. To me, certain things seem reasonable, not dangerous.

I believe that being gay, lesbian, bisexual and/or transgender is a powerful and wonderful thing. I think children should be taught that it’s not only okay to be an LGBT person, it’s fantastic and admirable to be true to yourself. In fact, I believe that queerness, in all its forms, is preferable than simply following assimilationist ideals. To me, it doesn’t matter whether someone is born queer or chooses it, every person who challenges expected notions of gender and sexuality is a hero in his/her/hir own way.

I believe that we owe it to ourselves and our children to diminish our reliance on the U.S. military in it’s current form. I don’t believe we should leave ourselves defenseless in the world, but I don’t think sending bombs and troops into war is the answer anymore. If the greatest threat in the new century is terrorism, then the greatest military strategy is going to come from intelligence, precision military targeting of terrorist cells, advanced diplomacy, a strong world economy combined with a commitment to taking care of our own and leading the worldwide war on poverty by example, and shoring up domestic security rather than overseas offensives. We need fewer, smarter military strategists, not more troops and bigger guns. I believe more and more people need to take up the peace movement and stand firm even when we get accused of not supporting the troops.

I believe it’s time we stop shying away from honest confrontations about bigotry, institutional biases, and hate. I believe that tolerance does not extend to excusing bigots and hatemongers. Yes, I believe in the freedom of speech and the freedom of religion, but that does not mean I believe you can espouse hate and fear with impunity. I believe that reason, science and ethics demand more than superstition and morality - and anyone trying to inject religion into public policy without having at least the benefit of credible science behind it is an enemy to the good of humanity.

I believe that there comes a time when gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, immigrant, Black, Asian, Latino, Native American, disabled, peace activists, and other disenfranchised people have to do more than lobby the American public for acceptance. There comes a time when we put our security/our sense of safety on the line and demand it.

And I believe that all people have an essential worth and dignity, even when I disagree with them. Even when there is no common ground to be found, I believe that we all bring a unique and valuable flavor to the salad bowl of life.

So what are your Dangerous Ideas? Please, tell me what you would say or do to challenge the people in power and make the world a more just, compassionate and ideal place to live in?

Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C. [A wide-angle view of marchers along the mall, showing the Reflecting Pool and the Washington Monument.], 08/28/1963. From The National Archives and Records Administration.

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to you all.

Success, recognition, and conformity are the bywords of the modern world where everyone seems to crave the anesthetizing security of being identified with the majority.

~ Martin Luther King, Jr., Strength to Love, 1963.

Posted: January 21st, 2008 under MLK, miscellaneous outrage and/or amusement.
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