Peaceful Change

Today we celebrate a man who used the concept of the peaceful protest to enact Change. Born on January 15, 1929, Dr. Martin Luther King used his teachings as a Baptist minister and also teachings that he learned from Mahatma Ghandi as a basis for how he ran his protests. What I find most admirable about this man, is that he not only believed that peacefully providing your message was the way to enact change, he got others to follow him.

Martin Luther King Day celebrates his birthday, honors his legacy, and shines a light on the continued need for civil rights in this country. On November 2, 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed into law that every third Monday in January would be Martin Luther King Day, a Government Holiday.

When I was at Michigan state in the late 1990’s Michigan State University had a field, Mann Field, in which we had these amazing tradition of tailgate parties. Well, one fateful Michigan – Michigan State game, we left Munn Field in Atrocious condition. President McPherson decided, as all good leaders should, that Munn Field should be closed for tailgating because it was so large. Well we were mad and we decided on a Peaceful protest to let him know that he was letting us, and our famed tradition, down. The protest started OUT peaceful, but then the outliers started in. People started climbing light poles and punching them out. And then eventually cars got overturned. The “peaceful protest” was ruined. We didn’t have a leader that showed us how to keep a protest peaceful.

Several of those “protests” continued. I only participated in the first one. After it failed, I was so disappointed in my fellow man. How could they let our peaceful protest be ruined like that? The protest only got worse. I have seen other protests through the years, for more important, things – that also got their message ruined by a few bad seeds.

After these years of watching failed “peaceful” protests, I often wonder how Martin Luther King succeeded in keeping his protests peaceful. There were so many people. I have to believe that he must have prayed mightily before each protest and probably had a group of people praying for the marches while they were going on. Regardless, this was a man who saw the change that was needed and was able to keep his strong feelings in check so that he could lead in a way necessary to enact change.

Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” 
― Martin Luther King Jr., Strength to Love

On this beautiful, snowy, Martin Luther King Day, on the morning after a full wolf blood moon, I ask all of you – please shine your light. Each of our lights shined will be one step forward in driving out darkness.

Peace be with you always.