Over at shlep, (in “MLK and the pro se movement“) I just wrote that no message in Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail deserves repetition more than his powerful reminder that ”Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Across the blogiverse, today, Dr. King is being honored in writings about justice and equality in many aspects of our society: politics, education, economy, court system, etc. (see the compilation of postings from law-related weblogs at the foot of Blawg Review 91).
As in other years, I’d like to state my admiration for Dr. King’s courage (especially as contrasted to today’s pampered protestors, who want no consequences for their so-called civil disobedience) and his commitment to the long struggle (as compared to slacktivists who engage in symbolic gestures that take little time or effort). The Day of Service program in his honor — with its motto “A day ON, not a day OFF” — is a fitting tribute. The f/k/a Gang is going to fulfill its promised Day of Service over the next week, and hope you’ll do the same. Then, our task is to make the struggle against “injustice anywhere” a daily practice, and not merely a one day affair.
Martin Luther King Day…
a watermain break shuts down
His boulevard
Martin Luther King Day…
the weight of ice
on a magnolia branch
. . . by ed markowski
Martin Luther King Day — 
they say it’s too cold
to march
power lines down —
a sand truck follows
the MLK parade
. . . by dagosan
I’m not sure if he stated it directly, but Dr. King also took the position that “Silence is sanction.”
In his letter from the Birmingham jail he wrote “…and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people…”
He also said in the same letter:
“Things are different now. So often the contemporary church is a weak, ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound. So often it is an arch-defender of the status quo. Far from being disturbed by the presence of the church, the power structure of the average community is consoled by the church’s silent and often even vocal sanction of things as they are.”
It is, indeed, sad that today’s so-called “protesters” don’t want to experience consequences for their challenges. This makes them less than protesters or proponents …
It makes them sheep not only being willingly led to slaughter, but assisting those who will slaughter them.
It seems even more unfortunate that today’s legal community is often the worst of the hypocrites who “go where the wind blows” in order to further their own personal agendas.
And for those who do not speak out at all, or those who shift their support when the winds blow in a different direction, are the ones who will pay the most costly price.
You can only know that you are moving in the right direction is if you feel the wind blowing in your face, and you must lean against it to move forward.
Comment by 127001 — January 19, 2007 @ 10:24 am