MLK Day offers more than honoring the man

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" are the words penned by the Founding Fathers in their declaration of severing ties to the King of Great Britain. "I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers" is just one aspect of Martin Luther King's famous "I Have A Dream" speech. Today we give honor to the slain Civil Rights leader.

A lot has changed since the Declaration of Independence in America to overcome the inequities that existed at her beginning. One thing that still prevails is the lingering racism and the heated rhetoric that comes with discussing the topic. Many laws have been enacted to ensure equality yet we to more harm than good. The last election cycle saw a shift in the political landscape as Tea Party backed candidates and other Conservatives won at all levels of government in a manner never experienced. Then we had the tragic shooting in Arizona by a deranged mad man to which the airwaves blew up with blame, hate, and ignorant thought. We, as a country, are facing a time where government has grown to large and consumes too much while drifting away from one with "unalienable Rights".

Some see the birth of the Tea Party a direct response to Obama being elected President of the United States while mainstream media has spun it as well. Now, as with all groups, the Tea Party does have its fringe element but their views are not aligned with the base. In fact the Tea Party is not much different than the group Ross Perot attempted to form a decade or so ago. I bring the Tea Party into the conversation because the vitriol that has surrounded the movement does not echo the "Dream" of King or the use of "unalienable Rights" within the Declaration of Independence. President Obama's memorial speech did touch on taking pause and reflection hopefully today we can do more.

Take a moment today to read Dr. King's "Dream" speech and look around your community and see if society is living up to it. As well, read the Declaration of Independence and ask yourself, "Is our current path of government allowing ALL people of the United States the ability to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness?"

Increases in Westerners attraction to Taliban philosophy similar to 60’s anti-establishment movement?

I was reading headlines of the different national and international media outlets this morning and came across one on MSNBC "Taliban sees little need for foreign fighters" and it got me thinking about the recent defections of Western persons to Taliban and Al-Qaeda camps in the Middle East. Over the past six to eight months the Star Tribune has been reporting on the mysteries behind several Somali-American men that have left Minnesota only to be later to be discovered to have a hand in bombings in the Middle East. Just this past week, a story circulated that four Americans, turned in by their parents, left for the Middle East, namely Pakistan, to train with Al-Qaeda. The reason of my focus on these events is I wonder if the escalation of Americans going to the Middle East to join Al-Qaeda or the Taliban is similar to the tensions that existed in the United States during the late 60's.

During that time we had the Weatherman Underground, many protests in the United States over the Vietnam War, and the march for civil rights by Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Jr, and others. Are we experiencing a similar movement in regards to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq? Or is this a bigger war being waged on Western ideals? I will admit that I was not born until 1971 so I did not experience the 60's as my elders and have to revert to their recollection of history and what can be gleaned from history books. So I pose this analogy to my elder readers: Are the events we see with the migration of Americans to the Middle East to gain terrorist training creating the ground swell of anti-establishment sentiment that engulfed the late 60's and early 70's in the United States?

To Forgive or Not To Forgive

I was reading the Facebook responses on my blog dealing with Drew Anderson. The responses brought me back to some of the responses given when I wrote about Michael Vick. Both men are facing ridicule for past criminal activity that raises strong public emotional sentiment. A common theme existed in both of my blog entries; forgiveness.

“We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we distort this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. Forgiveness is choosing to love. It is the first skill of self-giving love.” – Mohandas K. Gandhi

“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” – Colossians 3:13

In each statement, above, the call for forgiveness is made. As Vick moves on with the Eagles and Anderson awaits his fate many feel neither man is to be forgiven for their criminal acts. To forgive another does not translate to one condoning, approving or forgetting the act committed by that person; rather the act of forgiveness displays a basic tenet our country was founded on; second chances.

The United States of America was established on the backs of men, women, and children looking for a fresh start in the New World. The immigrants that traveled, some under the guise of slavery, the vast ocean to make it did so to create anew. Every year a story is printed about poorly crafted flotation devices, carrying more people than the craft can handle, attempting to reach the shores of the United States.

Those picketing the Eagles training facility and pressuring the Waconia City Council ought to understand that forgiveness is something our society needs to comprehend. Forgiveness does not translate to amnesia or acceptance of the crime committed.

“Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.” – John F. Kennedy

President Kennedy nailed it when defining forgiveness. Forgive Vick and Anderson but do not forget their crimes. Is so far that one is able to learn from their past transgressions and not succumb to the evils of criminal activity again the forgiveness one gives is not for not.

Forgiveness and second chances are common tenets in major religions and free societies. What type of society will we become if forgiveness and second chances are not embraced?