In retrospect

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Jan. 15, 1929 - April 4, 1958

The seasonal residents across the street have two dogs that are Huskies, or Malamutes or something similar. They ride in the back seat of the SUV with heads out the windows. The one on the driver's side wears sunglasses. These are dogs native to the far north where the sun is bright and reflects off the snow. And this, folks, is an example of how silly our wealthy western culture has become.

I still have no appetite and feel generally weak, but I had a can of Diet Coke this afternoon, my first since mid-day Sunday. So I'm definitely on the mend.

I don't know who is behind "Dark Roasted Blend" but he/she has a cool site. This entry displays some of what they're doing in Japan with the ubiquitous bar code (scroll down a bit). Very clever!
Japanese Creativity

And this just made me smile:

Pam is still at work so until my plans pass muster with SWMBO I can only say that I'm hoping to go on a motorcycle ride tomorrow, a substitute for Monday's ride that got canceled due to illness. Josh W and three guys from his church are headed from here up to Yarnell, over to Prescott and then back down the 17. A very scenic ride on interesting twisties. I don't know if they plan to go up to Jerome before cutting across to 17 but I hope so. That road is motorcycle Nirvana, an extremely twisty mtn. road with beautiful vistas and quite challenging. I debated right up until late this afternoon on the wisdom of going, still feeling the effects of the flu bug. But for some things you just gotta man up!

I was an immature 17-year old H.S. senior on April 4, 1968, when Dr. Martin Luther King was murdered in Memphis TN. I was still 6 months away from turning 18 and pretty oblivious to the world around me. Which is to say I was aware of the racial tensions that gripped our country at that time (though Seattle was hardly a hotbed of conflict) and certainly knew who Martin Luther King was. But I don't think I understood the depth of the racial divide, the scope of racial injustices in America, or the nuances of the racial equality movement. I think I probably lumped Dr. King, Huey Newton and Eldridge Cleaver into the same group. They all protested, they all seemed to be against the U.S. govt., and conservative whites denounced them all.
The evolution of my understanding of Dr. King has been slow, in part because it took me too long to dismiss the falsehoods, the lies and the slander that many whites used to vilify him. I saw him as the enemy of our country, as unpatriotic. And some part of me - I don't even know what part - resented the rash of re-namings that went on all over America to honor his legacy.
I'm probably not yet where I'll end up, but my opinion of Dr. King has changed drastically over the years. I now know that he consistently called for exclusively non-violent demonstrations, even when he was violently attacked, and when those around him belittled him for a lack of courage in the face of white oppressors. I realize he loved our country and knew that only when we achieved racial equality would we live up to the ideals we professed. He was not anti-white. He was pro-equality and championed the cause of justice for all.
Dr. King was articulate and a master of public speaking, even by the high standards of Black pulpiteers. He was an orator, in the full sense of that word. He knew how to motivate his listeners when the occasion called for action and how to calm them when passions ran too high.
Perhaps the most remarkable thing in my mind, however, is the courage he displayed. Dr. King did indeed have a dream and his focus would not be diverted. In his speech the night before his death he said,
"Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has it's place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land. And I'm happy tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the coming of the glory of the Lord."
Would our country be where it is today if not for the work of Dr. Martin Luther King? Perhaps, but it's hard to see how. The Black Panthers didn't accomplish anything except to deepen the divide between Black and White. Dr. King's insistence on non-violent demonstrations couldn't be swept away as extremism, and thus the power of his argument couldn't be ignored.
Dr. King was a human and had feet of clay. So did Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and all the other great leaders who made immeasurable contributions to our country's history.
Dr. King was shot at 6:00 p.m. on April 4th, 1968 as he stood on the second floor balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis. He was 39 years old. We'll never know, but it's easy to imagine that the impact of his death moved our country toward his dream more effectively than a longer life would have. If that's the case, I am certain he would have chosen willingly to be shot that morning. Whatever the case, our nation is much better for his life, however short.