Photo: Petr KratchovilHere IDW, Martin Luther King Day is a Big Deal. IDW, it's not about one man, but rather about a movement that changed the world and an opportunity to remember that each and every one of us changes the world every day with the choices we make.
It's a day to honor Dr. King and all who worked with him and paid with their lives, surely.
But moreover, it's a day to remember that civil rights matter, and that when they are not protected, atrocious things happen. Lynchings. Pogroms. The Holocaust. The Killing Fields of Cambodia. The massacres in Rwanda. Sadly, history is filled with cautionary tales of what happens when one group of people believes it is intrinsically better and more entitled than another group of people.
Think about this too much and living in a cave somewhere far from the madding crowd starts to sound pretty good. I'm not suggesting that. For one thing, it's really hard to get good take-out delivered to a cave. And you pretty much have to wear sensible shoes. I hate that. So I'm not suggesting any of us don sackcloth and ashes.
But maybe, one day a year -- perhaps today, Martin Luther King Day -- pause for just a few moments and remember those who have paid with blood for standing up to injustice and tyranny. Be grateful for these people. Honor them in whatever way is meaningful for you. And remember that the world isn't changed by superheros; it's changed by ordinary people who make extraordinary choices.
Then, watch the video below just for fun. My friend Lisa shared it with me; it's a sweet, whimisical reminder that love really is the universal language.
http://www.maniacworld.com/Elephant-and-Dog-Are-Best-Friends.html
It's a day to honor Dr. King and all who worked with him and paid with their lives, surely.
But moreover, it's a day to remember that civil rights matter, and that when they are not protected, atrocious things happen. Lynchings. Pogroms. The Holocaust. The Killing Fields of Cambodia. The massacres in Rwanda. Sadly, history is filled with cautionary tales of what happens when one group of people believes it is intrinsically better and more entitled than another group of people.
Think about this too much and living in a cave somewhere far from the madding crowd starts to sound pretty good. I'm not suggesting that. For one thing, it's really hard to get good take-out delivered to a cave. And you pretty much have to wear sensible shoes. I hate that. So I'm not suggesting any of us don sackcloth and ashes.
But maybe, one day a year -- perhaps today, Martin Luther King Day -- pause for just a few moments and remember those who have paid with blood for standing up to injustice and tyranny. Be grateful for these people. Honor them in whatever way is meaningful for you. And remember that the world isn't changed by superheros; it's changed by ordinary people who make extraordinary choices.
Then, watch the video below just for fun. My friend Lisa shared it with me; it's a sweet, whimisical reminder that love really is the universal language.
http://www.maniacworld.com/Elephant-and-Dog-Are-Best-Friends.html
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