How we all serve injustice ...

“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.”

Today is the day we set aside to honor MLK Jr. Often this honor is expressed through quotes and memes or an hour or two of service. Today I suggest in addition we honor him by seeing that each and every one of us serves injustice in some way. (Yes you and Yes I and Yes us)

“Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think.”

We support and maintain systems of oppression. We say "well that is just the way that things are." We say "well we earned it." We say "yes there are problems but "we" are not apart of the problem." In truth, we all knowingly or unknowingly support these systems.

“There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe nor politic nor popular, but he must take it because his conscience tells him it is right.”

We fail to ask the right questions. Why are our communities and workplaces not diverse? What rules and regulations make this so? Where must we go to find those who have different life experiences?  Why do those of different races or faiths or backgrounds not feel welcome or safe in our spaces?

“We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear.”

To fight the daily injustice that we all support will take radical thinking. What systems and institutions need to be pulled down so something better can grow? How can we hold ourselves accountable for our actions? What priveledges and opportunities do we have to deal with these systems and stand and walk and fight in solidarity with the least and the marginalized?

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

So today take a moment to more clearly see this society and world we live in and the challenges we face over and over and over again. This will be hard work. It won't be done with quotes or an hour or two here or there. There will be moments when the fight will seem too hard, not worth the effort, but we must remember:

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”