Thank You, Martin Luther King, Jr.

Announcement

MLK Day marks the birthday of one of the most influential people in American history. Martin Luther King, Jr., an American Baptist minister and activist, never lived to see his 40th birthday, being assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968. A recording of him speaking on how he would like people to remember him was played at his funeral, where he said, “I’d like somebody to mention that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to give his life serving others.” He was so influential in his short life that President Lyndon B. Johnson called for a national day of mourning on April 7 and public libraries, museums, schools, and businesses closed down along with the postponing of sporting events and even the Academy Awards.

I believe King was influential due to his practice and preaching of nonviolent means to change hearts and minds. He reasoned with people on the basis of humanity, bringing people of different backgrounds together to create more unity in the U.S.

Forever grateful for his passion and work to bring Black and White Americans together, I want to share a few of my favorite quotes from him that inspire me to do the work that I do here at The Kansas Constitutional to help bring change at the state and local level.

“Here is the true meaning and value of compassion and nonviolence, when it helps us to see the enemy’s point of view, to hear his questions, to know his assessment of ourselves. For from his view we may indeed see the basic weaknesses of our own condition, and if we are mature, we may learn and grow and profit from the wisdom of the brothers who are called the opposition.”

This is a quote that I enjoy because it is a reminder that people do not do things simply because they are “evil,” but rather because they have a different view. Though it is true that acts of evil can be done and even justified by those with certain views, it is never so simple as to say one has done evil because they are evil. Furthermore, being able to understand another’s view allows you to strengthen your own arguments for what you believe by highlighting, as King put it, “the basic weaknesses of our own condition”.

“Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon, which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it. It is a sword that heals.”

The poet in me absolutely loves the imagery of nonviolence as a weapon (and one of which that heals, too). Through The Kansas Constitutional, I have been blessed to find a way to share my thoughts and ideas with others, and in the short time that I have had my Substack, I have had many people reach out to me to let me know that after reading one of my posts they have changed their mind on an issue. This is my nonviolent weapon and I am forever grateful for the people who take the time to read my posts and, at the very least, come to an understanding of a view they may not have understood before.

“In spite of temporary victories, violence never brings permanent peace.”

I think it is easy for us as humans to get caught up in victories that can be obtained through means of violence—whatever that may look like. It’s easy to coerce and intimidate people into complying, but it is difficult to get someone to truly change their heart and mind on a certain issue, and personally, I don’t believe that it’s something that can be done any other way than through nonviolent means.

With all the lessons on love and peace that King provided for us in his lifetime, today is truly a day to celebrate a wonderful man who changed the world with his words and actions. So, today, I challenge you—as you go out and interact with people today, try to remember some of King’s words and act accordingly. You never know whose heart and mind you might change.