His birthday was actually this past Thursday. But today is the day we celebrate him. Kids are out of school. Civil offices are closed. Mail doesn't run. It's a big deal. And it's all because of who he was and what he did...
I grew up in the South. ...more specifically, in Alabama. So I grew up hearing about the fight for Civil Rights and how African Americans were treated at one time here.
I've heard stories about how white people hated black people so much that they would choose to not sit in the same restaurant, or drink from the same water fountain, or use the same restroom, or let their kids go to the same school.
I've heard stories of how some white people would beat a black person just as soon as they'd look at them. Or how they'd turn on the high powered hoses and spray the water on them so violently, that it'd push them off the street.
But I also grew up hearing about a man who gave a famous speech, entitled, "I Have A Dream." ...a man who believed in peace, not hate. ...a man who believed that the way to win the war of racism was through peaceful protests and not violent fights with guns and weapons. ...a man who believed all men should be equal.
That man was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and he had a dream that one day his children would live in a nation where they would not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.
Dr. King wasn't trying to make black people better than white people. Rather, he wanted all people to finally be equal. He wanted all people to live together in harmony. ...to live together in peace. ...to live together as brothers.
He wanted Americans to open their eyes to the injustice going on around them. ...to stop hating each other. ...to stop separating themselves from people who were different from them.
...to take that critical first step towards a life of peace with their fellow man.
It's now been 50 years since that famous march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. Things are definitely not as bad as they were then. But unfortunately, racism does still exist today. And unfortunately, some people do still treat others badly simply because of the color of their skin.
But you know... I look at the sweet babies entrusted in my care as a teacher. Not one of them are the same race as me. And I don't care.
I pray daily that these boys and girls I call mine will grow up to be model citizens. And you know what else... I pray the world they grow up in gets better.
I pray men and women and boys and girls, stand up and unite against hate, prejudice, and plain ol' ignorance and finally put a stop to the racism that still exists today.
I pray we, as Americans, take the example of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
I pray we see there is something wrong with the world and we decide right then to do something about it.
...not with guns and weapons and violence.
...not with dirty language and inappropriate music and movies.
...but with our minds and our hearts.
...with our knowledge of peace and justice and our love for our fellow man.
I pray we stop hating someone because their skin is a different color or because they serve a different god or because they come from a different part of the world.
I pray we love good and hate evil.
I pray we treat others the way we would want to be treated.
And I pray that by his birthday next year, Dr. King can look down from Heaven and say,
Hey God, Look at how well your children are getting along. They finally listened to you.
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