Only Love — Thinking of a King

Later for the post-racial, Obama America talk.  Aren’t we living in the post-King era?  Is it finally time to bury the good Dr. Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.?  Is it about time that Monday’s national King holiday go the way of Washington’s and Lincoln’s birthdays – a day off for a little rest, relaxation, and sales?  Is it progress that we can now also take Dr. King for granted – locked in a static mid-twentieth century pose?

Given the Marvin Gaye-What’s Going On state that we’re in – too many mothers crying; lots of brothers dying; war and hate; foreclosure lines; protest signs – it’s about time to recognize a key aspect of King’s message: love.  He reminded us that the meaning of our lives is about the struggle to love.

Let us hope that this spirit will become the order of the day. As Arnold Toynbee says: “Love is the ultimate force that makes for the saving choice of life and good against the damning choice of death and evil. Therefore the first hope in our inventory must be the hope that love is going to have the last word.” We can no longer afford to worship the God of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. The oceans of history are made turbulent by the ever-rising tides of hate. History is cluttered with the wreckage of nations and individuals that pursued this self-defeating path of hate. Love is the key to the solution of the problems of the world.

Martin Luther King, Jr. The Quest for Peace and Justice. Nobel Lecture, December 11, 1964

Dr. King had skills.  He rescued the dusty, old tales and musings with his own remix and music.  He stayed on point with messages that inspired.  He had flow.  He spoke, often and powerfully, of love. Dr. King is a classic.  But, we often forget about classics – unless they’re powerfully relevant.  Strangely, Dr. King still has a little life in the public mind and fading cred in pop culture.  The way he threw down on love is still inspiring and worth a look.  This year, let’s keep King and his right message of love power from going into the bin of good, old, dusty grooves.

On Monday (January 18), we’re celebrating one of our own – alumnus, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – with a look at his message of love.  Come check out featured remarks by Joseph Sebarenzi, the former president of the Parliament of Rwanda, and author of God Sleeps in Rwanda: A Journey of Transformation. He understands the power of love. You know, we could not cleberate Dr. King without the force of student voices.  On Monday, Inner Strength Gospel Choir will lift us up and members of the REACH! Dance Ensemble will add to the inspiration. And, our MLK Scholars, are ready to add uniqueness to the program.

Got to think that this is our own institutional mitzvah. Word on the street is that we’re hosting one of the oldest and largest institution-wide celebrations of the life and legacy of Dr. King in the nation.  The celebration starts at 1 p.m. (on January 18, 2010) in the George Sherman Union’s Metcalf Hall. (For even more info, check out the press release.)

See you on Monday.  With much love, and peace.

PS: stay up on the new age and post a pre-MLK Day picture on this Strong as Peace, Free as Love site.