On my way to work this morning, Milwaukee's local NPR station was having a general discussion about the local going-ons for this MLK Day. It was the usual disappointing glossing over of the subject that we have every year, and you can add the general media into the simplification of day that should mean so much more than a general day of service. When, or if, we look back at the speeches and actions of one of the worlds most prolific men, his passion for change and love of humanity has always stood out most. Never did he preach a "gospel of wealth", about the greatness of life with all the material goods one can possess, and most importantly, he never spurned a person seeking his or her rightful place in this world. He had a vision for the future, and spoke of all the greatness and all the love humanity has to offer. He provided hope and optimism to the oppressed, the working, and chronically poor. He was a beacon of light that things could change, that they should change and what can happen when we all work together for the right and just path.
This is a sad time when the definition of success is getting less and less subjective. Where it is increasingly tied to an ability to buy or entertain things that do not matter, we tend to emphasize the idea that material goods become more important than the human beings who surround us. It might just be my binge watching of Game of Thrones for the last few weeks, but it seems that the evil, the wicked, or the misguided are always winning. Always have the upper hand. Bernie Madoff might be rotting in a prison, but how many years of unfettered luxury did his family live with? Do they feel remorse at robbing people of their hard earned money, or only remorse for being caught? Do the hateful people on reality TV regret their behavior because it was truly the most despicable form of manipulation to gain money or do they regret it because it hurt people? I want to believe that humanity is good and great and all that jazz, but it still seems pop culture hurls the triumphs of injustice into our faces more-so than what is right or important.
So, while I think it is great that some larger local financial institutions are making this a day of service (i.e. they are forcing their employees to do charity and community service in the company's name) like so many across this nation, including our first family, lets not forget what today is about. It is about finding solutions to income inequality. It is about fighting racism and intolerance towards the other. It is about lending a hand to pull up another who needs it. So lets really address that. Instead of one day, these companies and politicians should make a year long effort to address the needs of those in their communities. What are the deficiencies in the schools and universities and how can they be resolved? How can we create programs for kids to stay in school, so one day this company will have a vast pool of qualified workers to chose from? How can we keep our communities clean and involved in the betterment of themselves and their families so our cities can flourish? What program can the government develop in conjunction with the business community that allows low-income students the help they need from kindergarden through college education? How can our medical community address poverty and healthcare issues that will create real long term sustaining changes?
You see, Dr. Martin Luther King JR, was not just about one day of service. He was about a lifetime of service. He scared politicians and the business community because he was looking for answers to solve the issues. Not many people address our problems to the extent they deserve because it is not important. So lets be truthful on his birthday at least. In a country that despises "handouts" one day of service is enough for us to sleep better at night. Tomorrow the companies and politicians who took this day off to clean up a park, work in a soup kitchen, or whatever they did, will wake-up and serve their almighty purpose again, another day another dollar. Success at all cost though is increasingly coming with damaged cities and towns across this country. Addressing the real issues are difficult, but that is a much sweeter success than anything money can buy. If we ask the right questions, pursue the correct avenues, put forth the effort needed, we can solve so many of the problems that are and will continue to hold our country back. We just need someone with hope, a dream, and the guts to stand up for what is important.
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