Honoring the Legacy

“Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Every year at this time, we are honored with the reminder of what an ordinary man is capable of. Because of the passion, principles, and leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., an entire generation was changed, a social shift that continues to reverberate today. This year particularly, as we stand at the cusp of a new decade, we are given the opportunity to define a generation the way that Dr. King did.

When we think of the sixties today, a large part of what that decade brought about was due to the life and work of Dr. King. From his march on Washington in 1963 where he first proclaimed the dream that has echoed through our collective consciousness ever since, to his assassination in 1968 when the soul of America received the first of three devastating blows, his legacy helped to shape who we are today. He became a true model of what a Nobel Peace Prize winner should represent and had an indelible role in passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964. We are so blessed to have such an example of someone changing the world on the tenets of peace, love, and understanding.

Now, we must ask ourselves, when the next few generations look back on this decade, what kind of leadership will they see? Who is going to stand out in this crowd of texting, tweeting, blogging voices to proclaim the next dream? Listening to the loudest voices that permeate our airwaves today, the messages are filled with hatred, judgment, division, and vitriolic ignorance. Yet perhaps the voices that echo from this generation to the next will not be the loudest ones. Perhaps the voice of leadership will actually be the combined and consistent voices of many.

The gift given to us in this decade is one of instantaneous communication with a global network. Where Dr. King’s bellowing voice could get an “Amen” that would reach to the rooftops, our still small voices can be retweeted around the world. His essays were published on paper and reached thousands. Our blogs are published on the Internet and have the capacity to reach millions. His most inspiring speech was heard by everyone who came out to the Washington mall. Our podcasts and videos can be heard and seen by everyone and anyone with a computer or a cellular phone.

It is humbling to look back on such a life of greatness. It is admirable to look up to someone with such values and principles. It is foolish to think that they ceased with a Memphis gunshot.

The principles that Dr. King stood for were alive before he came to be and have continued on since his passing. Sometimes it is difficult to have hope when we watch what passes as a news channel offering little more than a proliferation of condescending and negative opinions. However, technology has become such that we need not give in to the mainstream malaise. The power of purpose and the power of principles have always been in our hands. Now that we are offered a more balanced voice for democracy, we are given a great opportunity in this generation to change the course of the collective consciousness toward values that will serve us instead of divide us.

As with every year at this time, I honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Yet I do not honor him out of a sense of nostalgia over a life well lived, but rather as a torch carried and passed on. It is my prayer for this year and this decade that the torch he passed would ignite flames of passion in the hearts of all who read these words and all who have ever heard his, that the virtues of peace love, hope, equality, understanding and faith will once again serve as the ramparts of freedom, and that this generation will bring us that much closer to making Dr. King’s dream a reality.

Steve McAllister

Steve McAllister is an acclaimed author, filmmaker, actor, and musician. In addition to contributing to Modern Hippie Mag, he also writes InkenSoul, a blog focused on literature and information that promotes commerce, charity, creativity, spirituality, and environmental sustainability. Purchase his most recent novel, The McAllister Code as an e-book at www.themcallistercode.com. Find Steve on Twitter, @InkenSoul. Read his reviews and articles here.