Martin Luther King Quote Reflections, 1/20/17

I continue my reflection of MLK quotes in context of today’s political environment.

"I oppose the war in Vietnam because I love America. I speak out against it not in anger but with anxiety and sorrow in my heart, and above all with a passionate desire to see our beloved country stand as a moral example of the world."
Martin Luther King, Jr. Anti-War Conference, Los Angeles, California, February 26, 1967.

This quote is remarkably versatile. A fill in the blank kinda quote: “I oppose ________ because I love America…” I’ll put it out there - “I oppose a Donald Trump presidency because I love America. I speak out against it not in anger but with anxiety and sorrow in my heart, and above all with a passionate desire to see our beloved country stand as a moral example of the world."

The most important part of the quote is not the “fill in the blank”. The important part is “because I love America.” This is not about me. Quite frankly, I’ll be okay over the next four years. I’ll be sad, but I’ll be okay. Unfortunately, so many people do not read or listen beyond the first fragment of the first sentence. I want to be very clear - I love America.

I will be attending the Women’s March on Washington tomorrow, where I will speak out with anxiety and sorrow in my heart, and above all with a passionate desire to see our beloved country stand as a moral example of the world.

I have heard many Trump supporters suggest that we need to give Trump a chance to show what he will do now that he is the president. That’s a fair point. However - and this is a big however - I have a hard time opening my mind and heart for a man who calls me his enemy for no other reason except that I voted for his opponent in the presidential race. Basically, Trump and his supporters are asking me to be the bigger and better person. Think about it.

I don’t expect everyone to agree with me. In fact, if everyone agreed, there would be no reason for a march. It is my hope, however, that everyone will respect my need to march. One of the reason I love America is that I can march in opposition of my president. The right of free speech is a foundation of our government - and I do not take this right lightly. My decision to march is not reactionary - I have thought it through and I believe that I need to be part of the voice. My voice alone is a whisper. My voice joined with others is a roar.

In all my years of voting, I have never felt this passionate about the outcome of a political race. In fact, I have never participated in a protest of any kind. During his inaugural speech, Trump declared that “January 20th, 2017, will be remembered as the day the people became the rulers of this nation again.” As president, Trump is to some degree the conduit of the “people”. In order to be the conduit, he would need to listen to the roar and the whispers of the people. Unfortunately, I have little hope that the Women’s March will influence Donald Trump, except perhaps to make me more of an enemy.

I do hope, however, that those who support Donald Trump, both voters and lawmakers, will be not be threatened by the collective voice of the March. My hope is that they will be inspired by the grand and passionate showing. I am hopeful.

Martin Luther King Quote Reflections 1/16/17

Imagine if Martin Luther King were alive today and he the opportunity to communicate, to inspire, to inform with only 140 characters or less.

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of convenience and comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

MLK, Strength to Love, 1963.

We are in a time of challenge and controversy and now I must ask myself,” Where do I stand?” I stand on the right side of history.

Martin Luther King Quote Reflections 12/12/16

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that."
Martin Luther King, Jr. Strength to Love, 1963.

As I rode along the Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial wall on Friday night (see my previous post), this quote caught my eye and then it drew me in. At first, I read it out loud to myself - and then I rode over to my riding companions and shared it with them. The words are so simple, yet the essence of the words are often elusive.

In my previous post, I expressed my belief that while we won’t always agree with others, we should strive to understand how they think and feel. Throughout the campaign and in the post-election environment, I see very little effort in this regard. In fact, behind the relative safety of a keyboard and computer, many people have freely expressed hatred of those expressing views opposite of their own. Some have been emboldened to express their hate openly, in person and in verbal and physical ways. It is easy to say one side is responsible for the hate. Hate for certain races and ethnicities. Hate for police officers. Hate for certain religions. And ironically - hate for a person’s choice to love. And with this election, hate for a person’s vote.

I want to be clear: Sadness is not hate. Anger is not hate. Fear is not hate. I have felt sadness, anger and fear in varying degrees since the election. However, intense hostility and aversion derived from these feelings is - simply put - hate. And when we express these feelings as hate we will never drive out the hate of others. In fact, the hate for one another will only intensify.

There is a clear political divide in our country. But simple calls for inclusion - to “come together” - will not be enough. We need to bring light into the darkness. We need to bring love to the hate. This burden lies with both sides of the divide. It lies at the grassroots level and with our leaders. Our leaders must inspire us at the grassroots to “come together”, but they can not demand it. We, however, should demand inspiration from our leaders and action from the grassroots.

Martin Luther King Quote Reflection 12/10/16

Last night, Kim and I, along with a couple of friends set out on a bike riding city adventure. Often, when we do these rides, we spend time on the National Mall circling the monuments. There is something special about seeing these national treasures late at night, when the air is still and solitude is achievable in an ordinarily bustling corner of the city. The chilly air amplified the quiet and gave me an amazing opportunity to really take in and reflect upon the quotations engraved on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial.

I have been struggling since the election. Who do I want to be in this new social, political and economic environment? I have always been the voice of moderation - challenging others to see a situation from a perspective different than their own. It is my belief that while we won’t always agree with others, we should strive to understand how they think and feel and importantly, why. Equally as important, we need to express ourselves in a way to help others understand our own positions. But after this election, I have vacillated between angry and sad. I have been unable to be a moderator, a position normally so comfortable for me.

To enter the MLK monument, visitors must pass through the “Mountain of Despair” on their way to the “Stone of Hope” - a tribute to King's "I Have A Dream" speech. As I read the quotations etched on the memorial - which are as relevant today as they were 40 years ago - my path to understanding and my journey of expression became clearer.

My plan is to periodically share a quotation and provide my thoughts as a means of personal expression. Unfortunately, I seem to exist in what many are calling the “liberal bubble” - but I welcome thoughts from outside my bubble as long, as they are respectful and expressed in a thoughtful way to help me better understand the point of view. The goal is not to convert anyone - but rather to promote mutual understanding.

The first quotation along the South Wall:

"We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."
Washington National Cathedral, March 31, 1968.

I recently wrote a letter to Brendan and in it I expressed how important I think it is for political leaders to be in front of the social curve. A great leader sees the pathway to future justice, despite the walls that are built with the purpose of blocking the path. This pathway exists on “the arc of the moral universe”. It seems at times the path along this arc is a two way street. The path forward towards justice is not only long, but at times, can be rugged. For some, it seems the only way to go is back. Perhaps the path forward is too hard. Too long. Or seemingly unnavigable. And if you are personally wounded along this path, logic may dictate that you go back to what you know instead of moving forward where your destiny is unclear. But a great leader needs to have vision for those who have circumstances that prevent them from seeing the path forward. A great leader listens and understand the struggles people have along the path so that adjustments can be made and when possible, a map can be drawn, A great leader will not only extend a hand to help others get through the rough patches - a great leader will inspire others to do the same.

Today - the path seems longer and and more rugged than it has in decades. Today - we need a great leader.