I would say that one reason why Dr. King is considered
great is because he understood the "fierce urgency of now," to use one of his great
quotes. Dr. King understood that the pursuit of Civil Rights in American Society was
not one that could wait. It had to be seized and owned, never to be relented. Dr. King
was able to ensure that he was a product of his time, but also a force upon it. His
ability to make the issue of Civil Rights for people of color an issue that all
Americans could understand is another reason why he can be considered "great." Millions
of Americans understood the fight for equality as not a "black" problem but rather one
that struck at the very heart and essence of what it means to be American. Dr. King
never missed an opportunity to argue that the principles of democratic self-rule made
Civil Rights a logical extension of its essence. The "promissory note" as well as the
calling out to Jeffersonian notions of the good life helped to bring this into
reality.
I would say that another reason why he can be seen
as "great" is because he was able to seize religion and transform it into a force of
social change. Dr. King's vision of religion was not exclusionary but rather one that
sought to bring more people into its fold. His use of religion was not demonizing nor
was it isolating but rather a use where inclusion was practiced and preached. This
helped to create the "brotherhood" and "unity" that was such a part of his beliefs and
his life.
No comments:
Post a Comment