Its been all over the television, the grainy black and white footage of Martin Luther King Jr.’s voice echoing across the mall in Washington, D.C. “I have a dream today”, his voice thunders, calling forth a generation to put an end to the odious practices of denying many Americans their basic civil rights. We’ve all heard it so many times and it is important that we did. The smallest children in school know that Martin had a dream. But as this article points out, there is much more to the man than just a dream.

King was not just a dreamer. He was a man of action, a man of deeds as well as words. His dream was a beautiful one, still relevant today, in some ways a rather simple dream. All of us should learn to live together, respecting our differences while acknowledging the commonality of man. He argued that our history was not our destiny, that a path chosen can be changed by people of good will.

He saw a wrong and he sought to make it right.

He did so without much of the name-calling and personal attacks that colors our dialogue today. He did not shrink from shining a spotlight on things that many preferred to keep in darkness, but he did so in a way that shamed those who would rather keep their dark shades on. He called on what Lincoln referred to as the “better angels of our nature”, challenging people to confront the truth and not hide behind the comfortable façade of tradition. He did so as an imperfect messenger, something he would admit. Change is not led here by angels or perfect people. It is led by flawed men and women.

That he did so from a moral perspective that spurned calls for hate. The anger he had was a righteous anger, the kind that could be channeled into change. One of my favorite King quotes is below, a summary of his philosophy of making change.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

He saw a wrong and he sought to make it right.

A dear friend of mine sent this story to me and wondered if I would write about it. What better day than today? The Pink Vigilantes of northern India see something wrong in their society. Men abuse their wives without consequence. Rape goes unpunished. Corruption is rampant. These women, living in dire poverty, came together to do something about it. As one they are ignored. As two they are easy to dismiss. But as hundreds they are becoming a potent force, doing as King did, shining a bright light into places where darkness has always had reign over. An injustice spawns a movement which is changing their corner of the world.

They dream of a better world, but they are not just dreaming.

They see a wrong. They seek to make it right.

As should we all.

Happy MLK day!

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