Martin Luther King, Civil Rights, and Service: A Holiday Triple Play
Most of the celebration and acknowledgement of today is centered on the observance of Martin Luther King Day. Additionally though today we celebrate Civil Rights Day and a National Day of Service. It’s a holiday triple play.
Although we may not think about it, these three observances are intimately connected. The connection between celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr., and Civil Rights should be obvious. Reverend King was the premiere Civil Rights leader of 20th Century America and his assassination sealed his place in American history.
Civil Rights and Service
What about the connection between Civil Rights and Service though? Being an advocate for civil rights, especially when it is controversial, is a selfless act. A look at the history of the struggle for Civil Rights in the United States shows that at times being an advocate for civil rights and an ally of those who are oppressed and discriminated against can be dangerous work. Many activists were killed. For example, James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner, whose story is retold in the film Mississippi Burning, were killed because they were trying to register African Americans to vote. Medgar Evers is another well known activist who was murdered after many attempts on his life. There are too many others to list.
Activists and allies often put themselves in danger whether they realize it or not. It is rare activists and allies would make much money off their work. Most of them will never be famous. Being an activist and ally means working for the benefit of others with little or no chance of reward for yourself. It is a loving, selfless role.
Fear and Hatred
Those who work to limit the rights of others generally do so out of fear. Whether it is a fear of change or fear of loss of control, power, or authority, Hatred is another cause cited, but hatred and fear are often closely connected. Whether your motivation is called fear or hatred, it is not coming from a place of love. Fear and hatred are selfish emotions and drive selfish acts.
Selfishness drives us to not care about others. A lack of love leads us to not care about what someone experiences.
What We Celebrate Today
Martin Luther King, Jr. wasn’t a perfect man, but he loved and served. No one is perfect. However, he was a good example of the synthesis of service and love in the cause for civil rights. When we love others, we want the best for them. We want people we love to be empowered, happy, and safe. We serve those we love and work for their betterment and empowerment. Serving is something we can all do.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Civil Rights Day, and the National Day of Service are all celebrated on the same day for a reason. Taken together the three form a triple play holiday, a trifecta of remembrance. They call us to remember we should be allies to those we love and activists for the principles and ideas we believe in.
We celebrate a man today, but we also celebrate love, empowerment, civil rights, and service. So, the question is, what are you doing today? How are you loving and empowering through service? How are you working for equal rights for everyone?
Garrett Leeds is the multipassionate founder of the Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness Project. He is a writer, creator, father, and empathic human being. At the end of 2020 he published his first book, a book of poems entitled Love, Longing, And The Empty available on Amazon.com. When he isn’t writing, building his business, or spending time with family he can usually be found playing games, consuming media, or pondering deep questions.
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