This past Monday, our nation observed the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: A man whose “I had a dream” speech reflected the principles of the Founders in identifying the inalienable rights of all human beings. King preached peaceful protest, hard work, and strong individual character as a means to social success. So this MLK day, many progressive Americans and special interest group leaders were pushing agendas for racial equality. However, King’s message has been distorted over time, and the modern movement for affirmative action has lost many of the lessons from its king.
King’s teachings and quotes reflect something far removed from current progressive policies. There is no way that King would have defended the use of racial quotas and affirmative action. Being admitted into a university or workplace based on the color of your skin or so that one can fill a racial quota is derogatory and racist. King believed his children would “one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” To have an institutional policy in place that deviates from the character of the individual is a pitiful excuse for progress.
King most famously said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” He drove a revolutionary non-violent protest that achieved true change. King would be disgusted by recent events such as the numerous Ferguson riots or the slaughtering of the two Brooklyn police officers. More importantly, he could always make a distinction: Unlike the recent race movement, King recognized that not all cops were bad, but only a few. There was a clear distinction drawn between the outliers and the group.
King would have fought against entitlement mentalities. King was a huge advocate for hard work, and that no matter what the circumstances are, you should always be pursuing your best. It did not matter your occupation, for “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry.” King believed in charity and help for the needy, but he was a clear advocate for personal responsibility and hard work as well.
King fought social injustice by advocating virtue, nonviolence, hard work, and a recognition of the inalienable rights that pertain to all of us. The modern race movement culture has gone far off the tracks. Disunity and distortion of roots will not lead to success for any cause or organization. So let’s celebrate what Martin Luther King really meant, and not advocate for a distortion of it.