WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (BP)–On Jan. 21, millions of Americans will pause to reflect on the life, philosophy and work of the prophet of peace, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Many Americans no doubt will reflect on Dr. King’s life from the prism of Sept. 11 and the subsequent war on terrorism. While it would be difficult to imagine Dr. King’s total response to the attacks on America, I’m sure he, like all of us, would have been deeply distressed and appalled by such evil acts of violence. Dr. King’s work in America sought to rid the world of violence and injustice, and his message of love, justice and peace still represents a symbol of what is best in our nation and our world. The patriotism that united us as a people following 9/11 has given all Americans the opportunity to experience, in some small measure, the “beloved community” ideal espoused by Dr. King.
Now, the real challenge facing our nation is, Will we continue to work together for a united American democracy? Unfortunately, hate and separatist groups are alive and well in America. Groups such as the White Christian Identify Movement and the New Black Panther Movement for Self-Defense, who cloak their philosophies under the banner of ethno-centric, self-determination ideology, are, in truth, very divisive in nature. They hinder efforts toward national unity and are sad reminders that Dr. King’s vision of a beloved community is far from being realized.
Any religious or political extremist group seeking to perpetuate a doctrine of hate and discrimination is a persistent threat to American democracy and should not go unchallenged by freedom- and peace-loving people from all walks of life.
If our nation is to move in the direction of peace, we must broaden and deepen our commitment to nonviolence, social justice and human rights. We must not be a nation that merely tolerates others who may be different; we must seek to understand others by respecting each individual’s humanity under the rule of law. We must foster academic dialog. Such dialog may mean we will not always agree with the assumptions and conclusions drawn by others, but it will provide an environment in which to work toward more positive ends.
Dr. King ended his famous I have a dream speech, declaring, “… let freedom ring. And when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and hamlet, from every state and city, we will be able to speed up the day when all of God’s children — black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Catholics and Protestants — will be able to join hands and to sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, ‘Free at last, free at last; thank God Almighty, we are free at last.'” True freedom does not come without great sacrifice. All Americans, indeed many around the world, have concluded since Sept. 11 that our lives will never be the same. Now is not the time to retreat from the challenges facing our world. As stated by President Bush, “We did not ask for this battle, but we will respond to it.” While we must conclude that war may be viewed by many as a necessary weapon for freedom, we must seek to avoid the glorification of war. We must understand that war always comes at an immense, though often unavoidable, price.
Dr. King once said, “… nobody can win a war. The choice today is no longer between violence and nonviolence. It is either nonviolence or nonexistence.” In a world of nuclear, biological and high-tech weaponry, one could argue that the reality of war makes it extremely difficult to reconcile Dr. King’s vision of a beloved community. Nevertheless, like Dr. King, we believe in the teachings of Christ, who declared, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.”
The beloved community can only be realized, as Dr. King believed, when all humanity resolves “to overcome fear through faith, when humankind will overcome oppression and violence without resorting to violence and oppression.” Let us continue to hope, in the spirit of the Civil Rights song, “… we shall live in peace, one day.”
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Terriel R. Byrd, Ph.D., is assistant professor of religion and director of Ethnic Church Ministries at Palm Beach Atlantic College, West Palm Beach, Fla.
