Martin Luther King Jr. Day

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Last fall, as the 500th anniversary of the Reformation was observed and their was a lot of focus on the acts and actions of Martin Luther, I learned something about his name.

The civil rights leader was born Michael King Jr. on January 15, 1929. 

In 1934, however, his father, a pastor at Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, traveled to Germany and became inspired by the Protestant Reformation leader Martin Luther. 

As a result, King Sr. changed his own name as well as that of his 5-year-old son. 
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The two religious leaders tried to keep the effort in the cause non-violent, not always successfully. 

They have a lasting impact.  Luther is well known 500 years later.  I suspect Martin Luther King, Junior will be as well.

It's why today is important to consider and reflect on progress made and what still needs to be done.

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Sadly, it seems the President doesn't seem to believe on Dr. King's message.  Worse, it feels like he would like to roll things back to whatever time he thinks represents America's "greater days."  While it's natural to fondly reminisce about days gone by as good - there are an awful lot of those so called golden days which were not.

It is fairly easy to say we all want to be judged and judge others by the content of their character; to do that we need to get to know others first.  While doing so, it will become clear we are all 'others.'