Today, the country marks the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. There are so many ways to remember the spirit and legacy of Dr. King and to take even more note of the profound sacrifice Dr. King made in his pursuit of justice and equality, none of which truly does him any justice. I take this anniversary extra personally, because this morning I couldn’t help but contrast his sacrifice with the complete and utter refusal of so many to sacrifice even the smallest things to make this world a better place. As a society we have become so complacent and we go about life as usual while others pollute the country with negativity and hatred.

When you contrast Dr. King’s voice and message with some of the most prominent Black men in this country like rappers who think it is too much to ask that they don’t say n*gga, b*tch, and hoe every other word…you have to appreciate Dr. King that much more. When you contrast Dr. King getting arrested 29 times for non-violent protests to help make this country a better place for Blacks and all oppressed people with rich rappers getting arrested over and over again for weapons, drugs, and other violence…you have to appreciate Dr. King that much more. And I’m not saying all this to say that rappers are the only problem in this country, I’m just saying LOOK at what happened to us and what we have come to accept and even exalt. Even if we can’t bring ourselves to demand better from each other….the least that we can do is to take the time to properly acknowledge and appreciate the sacrifices of Dr. King and of all the people who marched, protested, and died for the rights we have today. So I ask that you guys take a moment from listening to music or watching videos and watch a Dr. King speech and reflect on the impact of his legacy and the gravity of his life and death.

Here is Dr. King’s last speech given the day before he died in Memphis, TN:

Part 1

Part 2

The presidential candidates paid tribute to Dr. King today at various stops. John McCain apologized for voting AGAINST Dr. King’s Holiday twice (apology not accepted). Hillary Clinton who previously marginalized Dr. King’s power and influence as a mere dream in an attempt to discredit Obama by saying that it “took a president to get it done” gave an “emotional” speech. Lastly Barack Obama gave a speech in Indiana where to talked about the economic aspect of Dr. King’s fight that often gets looked over. I included Obama’s speech below, because I think he gives a very important historical context about what Dr. King was doing in Memphis. I appreciate that he gave a speech that is not about himself but about Dr. King and truly delivering Dr. King’s message.

Thoughts on today and its significance?

Posted by Reecie