We may still examine the political polarization in the nation today through the critical prism of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s teachings on equality, justice, and nonviolence.
On January 20, Houstonians will assemble for the Annual MLK Grande Parade in Midtown, beginning at San Jacinto Street and Elgin Street, to hear King’s words and vision. King’s ideas, which encourage us to work toward harmony and understanding while promoting structural change, are reflected in the parade’s theme, Unity Through Diversity.
Houston’s city leaders are still motivated by his legacy. King is an icon in the eyes of Willie Davis, the city council member for at-large post 2. Davis recalls the day he learned of his 1968 assassination while still in middle school.
Since then, Davis’ outlook on life has been influenced by the leader of the Civil Rights movement.
He claimed that many people had forgotten the full scope of Dr. King’s goals. We must bring his vision back to life. It is the duty of the rest of us who were there and experienced it, but sometimes, great leaders like Dr. King’s efforts are not continued because we prefer to ignore them or forget about them.
King’s ideas of nonviolence as a strategy for social change and nonviolent resistance as a way to combat division are echoed by activists and academics. According to Davis, people from all walks of life gain from these ideas.
Every action we take in America is influenced by his legacy. According to Davis, it’s the American tale, not simply a Black America one. We need to start realigning and reinstituting what he stood for, in my opinion. It therefore applies to everyone, regardless of culture.
Dr. Cornel West, an American philosopher, emphasizes King’s concept of justice that transcends punitive actions. According to West, addressing systemic injustices is critical, especially in underprivileged communities. The people of Houston concur.
According to Dr. King, the most powerful force in the universe is love. According to Houstonian Freddie Oliver, a member of the MLK Association of Texas, “Love is the answer to overcoming bigotry, racism, segregationism, and sexism.” He [King] started to pose a challenge to the authority state when he turned political.
Since MLK Day of Service is a government holiday that is recognized as a National Day of Service, community organizations are also essential in putting King’s vision into practice. To commemorate King, the YMCA of Greater Houston is stepping up this effort by planning service projects all throughout the city on January 20.
These include, among other things, preparing necessary packages, collaborating with the Houston Food Bank, reviving neighborhood gardens, delivering meals to communities, organizing food and supply drives, offering senior services, and shopping for groceries with Jack and Jill and Second Servings.King’s demand for equality is still relevant in many ways in today’s divisive Houston. His message can be appropriated, nevertheless. According to scholar Dr. Eddie Glaude Jr., we must confront the late King, who faced America’s ugly side head-on and tried to conjure up a picture of how things may, could, and should be different.
