Today in the United States is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. As a country, we set aside this day to celebrate the life and sacrifices of Doctor King. He was a man who stood up for what was right and marched against the injustices, which he saw and often experienced. He helped bring about changes in our country to make it a much better place for all people and for our future generations.
I am a 44 year old white guy. I grew up in a small rural community in Missouri. We had no one in our community that wasn’t Caucasian. Yet I grew up admiring Doctor King and what he did. His principles of non-violent protests and his willing to suffer for what was right resonated within me.
When I was a little older of a kid, I was often bullied. But I never faced segregated restaurants and water fountains. I didn’t have ride on a certain part of a bus. My skin color never determined what I was entitled to do or not do. I might have been picked on for being a fat kid and a geek but I never knew the horrors that many African Americans had to face during much of the 20th Century.
I am grateful that Doctor King and his vision for a better America. It still is a work in progress. I have several friends of different races but rarely am I conscience of their race. I care about each one of them. I hope that my life reflects a small part of Doctor King’s vision and hope for our future.
