My MLK pledge
And why it matters
I've decided to celebrate Martin Luther King Day every year with a special activity and ceremony, devoting the entire day to the philosophy of a man who means so much to me and what I stand for. I also pledge to celebrate Dr. King every day in some small way to honor him and thank him and try to carry his message forward. Why does this matter to me? After all, I'm white skinned and grew up comfortably middle-class. It matters to me because I feel that somehow we have lost our way since the civil rights movement. Modern day liberals (if we can call them that) are not liberal and they are not about love. They are not about inclusion. They do not embrace Dr. King's philosophy.
The message of Martin Luther King was exemplary and extraordinary. In a time of unbridled racism and raw hatred against the black man, when the violence and cruelty was barbaric and reaching subhuman levels, MLK realized that the only viable response would be non-violence, inclusion, love and tolerance. He described his vision of a world where color doesn't matter. Where everyone has the same opportunities. Where society is structured to treat all people fairly. He needed to paint this picture so that his followers could understand why it’s important to practice tolerance and nonviolence. They needed to see that laying down arms and practicing peace is a winning tactic, not a defeat.
In hindsight, it's clear that MLK's philosophy and message have been extremely effective and that the civil rights movement achieved enormous success against racial cruelty and violence, but it's also clear that the job is not finished.
Looking at today's racial justice crusaders, I feel discouraged, disappointed and depressed. Critical race theory embraces an oppressor/oppressed foundation, then takes on board a fight-the-oppressor tactic. In fact, oppressor/oppressed thinking, or victim/villain thinking, is the basis of almost everything in the modern woke movement. It doesn't work. It has the net effect of creating a new hate group. This, I’m sure, is not what MLK would've wanted, and not what any anti-racism movement would set out to accomplish. Yet here we are.
America stands on the threshold of possibly its most important election in a half century. Theoretically, nobody should lose to Donald Trump. But the Democratic camp is in turmoil and at war with itself. The main reason our aging president is the only viable candidate to beat Trump is that he is apparently the only one able to talk to white working class people. People in the blue wall states that he won in 2020. This is a terrifying realization. Any Democrat can stand up in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, etc, and spout their theory and receive a warm welcome. Now find me one who can stand up in a small town in Pennsylvania and make even a lukewarm connection with the crowd in the room. Like it or not, this is the acid test for a Democratic presidential candidate. Not a sanctuary city, not a deep blue state, but a rural working class location, where all US elections are decided.
Many writers on medium like to discuss the impending collapse that they firmly believe is inevitable for America and for humanity. While I believe they are wrong, or at least will remain wrong for the next hundred years, it’s true that certain pockets of America have already collapsed, and several countries around the world are already in complete collapse. That doesn't mean that humanity is going to collapse. Walk around Gary, Indiana or one of the many ghost towns like it, if you dare. You’ll see a level of devastation that 50 years ago nobody would've thought possible in America. Homes and neighborhoods that used to be vibrant and happy, now lie in ruins while the remaining inhabitants shoot and stab each other in search of drugs or cash.
This type of decay does not have to be permanent. We have seen parts of the world destroyed by war and poverty, rebuild and become culturally and economically healthy again. All we need for this to happen is to create the fertile soil for a healthy community: freedom from violence, freedom from corruption, freedom from religious oppression. With this achieved, a community will thrive. Economic growth is like a weed in nature. It will find a way. People want to work. They want to succeed. They dream of a better life and are willing to put in the effort to maybe achieve that. Collectively, we can't help ourselves, we always thrive as long as we are not oppressed by violence, religion, or corruption.
This is why it’s important for me to make a personal journey to return to Martin Luther King's original message. I'm leaving behind everything that I hear from modern day race theory. I'm going back to a more pure message which I believe is the only message humanity can embrace to conquer racism and injustice. We cannot beat racism with more racism, even if it is reverse racism. We cannot defeat economic injustice by hating the rich. We cannot vanquish gender injustice by heating men.
I look forward to helping complete MLK's dream. I look forward to an America that is structurally fair. Where skin color does not matter at all. Where opportunity is equally available to all. Where we are free from corruption, religious oppression and violence. We achieve this by practicing non-violence, inclusion, tolerance, and love.
