Here's to a Great Man

I was with a group of internationals recently who innocently wondered: why a day for Martin Luther King, Jr? Wasn't he just an author? Not even a president or elected politician, so what's the big deal?

Well. I resisted the urge to give them a huge lecture, and instead only gave a small one (I think). I think we all know what the big deal is. He is a symbol for what is both right and wrong with America: our racism, and also our incredible capacity for change. He changed our country for the better (though not alone), showing us all both the power of the individual and also the masses, and the real change that can be made through nonviolent protest. I think we could all stand to take a page out of his book (myself definitely included!), and steadily work for the change we want to see. And the rights of the people around us.

Something to aspire to. So, Happy Birthday, Rev. King. We'll be thinking of you.