After we have enjoyed the extra amount of freedom from the day off from classes we had on Martin Luther King Jr. day, it is important for us to remember the freedom Americans can enjoy because of freedom fighters like Atlanta’s famous reverend. Civil Rights leaders like MLK enjoy a fervent reverence here in Atlanta, and why shouldn’t they? Martin Luther King Jr. was forced to make the ultimate sacrifice after putting himself in danger countless times for the cause of Civil Rights.
When we visit the historic Civil Rights sites here on campus and other places around Atlanta, it is important to remember that these people gained our respect because of the ideals they fought for against an oppressive system of laws, and the perseverance they practiced though all oncoming animosity.
As time passes and the current day becomes more distant from the time people like Martin Luther King Jr. became our heroes, it is important to remember that these are our heroes because they symbolize the strength of the common people against all possible odds.
When you walk along Edgewood or Auburn Ave, it is easy to see how the images of Civil Rights heroes have come to symbolize more than their own identity. Like many leaders before him, the image of Martin Luther King Jr. has become the center of a cult of personality. Twenty foot high likenesses of the reverend are emblazoned across countless walls all over the Atlanta area.
How does this affect our perception of the history of the Civil Rights movement? How did these people who led their peers so fearlessly become so deified? We must remember what these people symbolize for us as a society.
To stay closer to the spirit of Civil Rights we should remember that true heroism is ordinary people rising to meet a challenge when there is nothing else to be done. Heroes are normal people who fight to realize an ideal when no one else will. Heroes are not born, they are made so by their circumstances. The murals of Martin Luther King Jr. that cover the walls of downtown Atlanta are not a narcissistic celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. as a person, but a celebration of the strength of a people who are unified by a strong common ideal.
This week when you see the celebrations taking place during the week following Martin Luther King day, remember that we are not only celebrating the memory of a great community leader, but also celebrating the strength of a people unified by a common cause to bring dignity and human rights to everyone.
While we celebrate the life of Dr. King, let us also celebrate his dream.
