A version of this editorial originally appeared in The Daily Star in 2011.
Today marks the 26th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, first observed in 1986, but not commemorated by the entire United States until 2000.
For many, King stands as a shining beacon of the civil rights movement and a proponent of racial uplift for African-Americans. But it should be remembered that he was a much more complex and _ yes _ flawed individual, whose work was shaped by the injustices felt by all disadvantaged people.
King knew the fight for better lives for all would carry on with or without him, and he made the best of the time he had to inspire hearts and minds about the ways to improve our country for all. We should follow that example and carry on his dream in our own lives _ not just today, but every day.
King became a staunch opponent of the Vietnam War. He advocated for black and other poor soldiers fighting for their country but receiving little recognition for their service or benefits from society. King called it "one of history's most cruel and senseless wars."
But even in his harshest criticisms, he never wanted to combat violence with violence. He practiced and preached the nonviolent civil disobedience techniques of Mahatma Gandhi. One wonders how King would feel about the war in Afghanistan.
Instead of battling abroad, King wanted Americans to fight a war against poverty in the United States. He wanted fair wages for all people and helped create the Poor People's Campaign to address issues of economic justice and housing for the poor. He said, "We believe the highest patriotism demands the ending of the war and the opening of a bloodless war to final victory over racism and poverty."
This day is about more than one race or one man. It is about fighting for the rights of all people, regardless of color, religion, class, nationality, political affiliation or sexual preference. It is about looking to an ideal and making the best effort we can to improve the lives of others through community service and an open mind. It is about working to guarantee the rights and privileges we often take for granted in this country to the rest of the world through peaceful discourse and diplomacy.
And while the U.S. has elected a black man as president, the struggle for civil rights for all is far from over in this nation. Until we move beyond the use of violence upon one another because of differing politics, races or lifestyles, we still have much work to do.
