Americans, Mississippians and Clarksdale residents will celebrate Martin Luther King Day on Monday.
As a Son of the South and native Mississippian the day does carry real meaning for me.
Having lived in other states I have often had to explain my Southern drawl and work to get around the sterotype the rest of the world carries about white boys from Mississippi.
Let me be the first to say I don’t claim to truly understand the “Black experience.”
Please look at the photo: I’m white!
But I do understand injustice. I do understand the real tragedy of violence. I know it takes courage to stand up for what is right. And I too, dream of a day when all people work together to make this world a better place for all of us to live.
Noted Quotes
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
– Martin Luther King Jr.
“Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”
– Martin Luther King Jr.
“History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.”
– Martin Luther King Jr.
“I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.”
– Martin Luther King Jr.
The Human Race
Race permeates everything in Mississippi.
It is evident in the churches we go to, the politicians we vote for and even the checkout clerk we choose in the local grocery store. And it cuts both ways.
So as we celebrate the memory of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday I hope all will look at what the man said and what he stood for.
A great orator and speaker, there are many quotes by Rev. King that I could have used. I picked these four for a reason.
The first quote strikes at the heart of what our founding fathers so aptly called “Justice for All.” In the courts, a country, a state or a community where justice is twisted there is a reason for all of us to fear.
The second quote aims at the heart of what all true Christians should believe. In a world that is increasingly polarized along religious lines we need to ponder the words of Dr. King and Jesus’ teachings on peace and love.
The third quote is actually a twist on the quote “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing” often attributed to Edmund Burke. The truth imparted by either author is still truth, indeed.
The last quote is probably King’s most famous and should give us all pause and allow us to measure where the races are in our society and culture.
We should still dream of a day when we will be judged by the content of our character, rather than our skin colors, our nationalities, our political persuasions, our religious beliefs or the size of our pocketbook.
As we look around Clarksdale, our state, our country and our world, now seems a good time to make a commitment to continue working to make King’s dream a reality.
Floyd Ingram is a newspaperman who believes you can argue the truth but that doesn’t change it. Call him at 662-627-2201 if you want to argue the truth.
