Remembering Martin Luther King JR. today

Dear Editor,

MANKIND’S quest for the ultimate purpose of life in this world remains inexhaustible. Although the answer remains pronounced in the philosophy of the saints and sages, guided by the choice of religious influence, acknowledging and adhering to these principles and concepts remain two-fold. The refusal to acquiesce to any form of confinement, relishes the splendour of independent thinking and action, not necessarily carefree or careless, and, reserved is the freedom of choice. But, what eventually surfaces, is the burning question of obtaining peace of mind and the undying search for the road to peruse and discover the secret of this possibility with all probable elements. The conditioning of the mind as taught by the discipline of yoga and meditation spontaneously emerges rather than submerges.

Mahatma Gandhi is indisputably the modern-day world’s keeper of peace and is a symbol which represents striving for emulation, not imitation. He has created a precedent, a road difficult for others to follow and his methodology, challenging to adopt. He has millions of followers and admirers throughout the universe and his teachings and lifestyle have inspired many to become more responsible citizens of the world, profess his concepts and implement his principles. America, the land where dreams come through, is fertile with many such students and Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King JR., bears testimony to this statement.

There was a time when African-Americans were barred from participating in ordinary life. They couldn’t eat at the same table, attend the same school, use similar bathrooms or share the same washing machines with white Americans. Segregation was enforced by Jim Crow laws down south. It made Africans mixing with whites illegal They policed them and Africans had to live in separate neighbourhoods. They had specific jobs and they had to talk to whites with the utmost respect. Any retaliation resulted in jail time, injury or death. Up north, there was no Jim Crow laws but an unspoken law which limited Africans to second-class citizen status. Martin Luther King JR. grew up in a middle-class family in the midst of all that inequality in 1929, having been born on January 15th. His great grandfather and father were pastors at the local church. He attended religious colleges up north in Philadelphia and Boston. He noticed blacks and whites mixing more freely than he had seen while growing up. King JR. moved to Montgomery, Alabama, with his wife Coretta in 1953, becoming pastor and community leader.

His life changed when Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on the bus to a white man. King JR. joined forces with activist JoAnn Robinson to organise a massive boycott of the Montgomery Bus System. This was to be the beginning of a hallmark in history for Blacks in the world. For one year, they refused to ride and walked. Many were attacked just for walking instead of taking the bus. Dr. King’s house was bombed. Along with many other protesters, he was thrown in jail. This injustice drew national attention to the issue. Eventually, in 1956, a Supreme Court decision banned segregation on buses. After that victory, King JR. organised a group of churches dedicated to non-violent protests for civil rights. He was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi whose non-violent leadership helped free India from. Over the next decade, he led many marches and protests all over the country. The biggest was the march on Washington for jobs and freedom in 1963. Hundreds of thousands gathered at the nation’s capital. It was there that Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King JR delivered his momentous “I have a dream” speech. “One day, right there in Alabama, little black boys and girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and girls as brothers and sisters. I have a dream today.” King’s gift for public speaking helped inspire millions of people. His words gave the hope and courage to believe in the future he envisioned.

Two years later, the protests he led throughout Alabama caught the world’s attention. People watched in shock as local police turned fire hoses and attack dogs on peaceful protesters. People felt threatened by change. In fact, making folk uncomfortable was kind of the point with all these protests. In a letter written from a jail in Alabama, King said, “Non-violent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and establish such creative tension that a community that has constantly refused to negotiate, is forced to confront the issue.” In other words, things change only when conditions are made stressful, people demand it. Despite his numerous arrests and degrading treatment, the result was worth it. His work pressured Congress to pass ground- breaking laws, moving society closer to his vision. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 overturned segregation laws around the country. In 1964, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He went on to fight against poverty and the Vietnam War. Then in 1968, MLK was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee.

His killer, James Earl Ray was captured months later. MLK was only 39 years old, but in his short life he changed the face of America. Without his influence, who knows how long it would have been before equal rights were protected for everyone. We still struggle for equal rights. But thanks to Dr. King JR. and other Civil Rights leaders, we know that great change is possible. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday in the U.S., marking his birthday and observed on the third Monday in the month of January. There is an urgent need for many in Guyana to emulate the likes of Martin Luther King Jr., Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela, Kofi Annan and Mahatma Gandhi and to follow in their footsteps. All Guyana will enjoy peace, equality, progress, liberty, prosperity and justice.

Respectfully,
Jai Lall

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