All of us have Dr. King’s traits in us, but are we displaying them sometimes without recognizing that we are doing so? I haven’t done a survey or a percentage check to get those figures, but I am certain that the King’s Philosophy is a part of our lives and that we display it from time to time because we are human beings. Peace and love today and something else tomorrow seems to be the trend nowadays. Just how that will change is a reality and one that is somewhat hard to deal with even as I think of Hamas and Israel, Russia and Ukraine, the South and the North in America, and the wars that have taken place elsewhere over the years. So, what was Dr. Martin Luther King’s philosophy, and what did it really stand for in America, and can that philosophy be applied worldwide? Some important questions that need to be answered.
Without doubt, Dr. King’s philosophy was tied to the creation of opportunity, a vision for a brighter future, struggles for freedom utilizing a nonviolence approach, and workable plans for the utilization of the trauma and pain that he felt during his lifetime in a positive way. He never gave up even though his life was threatened on occasion, and in addition to that, he knew full well that some people didn’t like his peace and love and equality for all approach. The fear was, as I understand it, that Blacks, three-fifths of men would have power and rights and a say in what was going on and that could be dangerous. When you think about it Dr. King the professional really had no choice but to fight the good fight. He, like Malcolm X were fighters and while Dr. King fought for peace and justice utilizing a non-violent approach Malcolm X was more concerned with the ‘By Any Means Approach’ strategy.
So, what helped the influential Dr. King, the American Baptist Minister, Church Leader, Activist, and Political Philosopher to get on track and to stay there and to work towards ensuring that the equality of the races and civil rights initiatives and segregation matters were brought to the attention of the authorities? Maybe he had a sense of spiritual healing. Maybe he was made for the job even though he had been arrested on twenty-nine occasions for promoting the two Es, Equality and Equity.
If we know one thing about the King’s Philosophy it is that one can learn from the harm that one is going through or have gone through and be made stronger in the process. There is a place for harm in the world and we can all learn from that harm process.
Of course, Dr. King was not alone in the struggle. There were those like Rosa Parks for example, who refused to give up even her seat on a bus largely because she valued Dr. King’s contributions to the movement for equality and felt that it was well worth standing for while she was sitting. The lesson here folks is that sitting and standing both have value in them and can mean the same thing depending on one’s perspective of the process in motion. Of course, there were many other individuals who stood with Dr. King back in the day and who are still standing with him today. They too, have a dream, that someday, in the words of Dr. King, the renowned author, ‘All of God’s children, black and white will be seen as equals and will be able to play with each other in an atmosphere of harmony, peace and love’. Yes, folks ‘I have a dream is no longer a dream’ it is today’s reality and very much a work in motion. The Dr. Martin Luther King’s Civil Rights Committee honored him on his birthday on January 15th and this recognition is very much tied to his contributions and the fact that his legacy lives on.
During this birthday celebration of Dr. King at the General Buddhoe Park in Frederiksted, St. Croix (and by the way) General Buddhoe also fought for the ending of slavery, a full program of tributes from adults, and some youths took place in front of hundreds who had taken the time off to celebrate Dr. King’s life and to look at what he left behind. A conch shell blowing session, a march and rally and the singing of the good old Negro Spiritual ‘We Shall Overcome Someday’ was also placed on the agenda that was put together by the Civil Rights Committee which organized the annual event. Yes, it’s true that the fearless Dr. King was assassinated because of his beliefs and what he stood for. It is also true that he helped to shape America into what it is today with regard to the Civil and Human Rights of individuals. It is also true that he never gave up! It is also true that Racism still exists. And that those who share his views should not give up.
Of course, there is more to be done to include the showing that his struggle for Civil Rights and Human Rights had value and that they can be of help with regards to the shaping of a better world.
Are we getting the ‘All God’s Children Are Created Equal’ out to the far corners of the world? If not, we need to make this happen now. It is worth remembering that it is all in our minds and connected to the choices that we make daily with regards to each other.
So, what does the life and times of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. mean to Toastmasters to be and even current members of the organization? We know that his most powerful tool was the use of words and that he could really handle Table Topics well. We know that we can be just like him if we put our minds to it. We know that if there was a Toastmaster who knew how to set the pace that had to be, in my book, DTM Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We can all learn from him!
—Abdul Ali lives on the island of St. Croix and is a WSTX talk radio host, journalist, and community activist
