Today, the 15th of January, I am reflecting a bit more intently than usual on the words of Martin Luther King Jr. This is truly the first stir of disquietude over my lifetime, watching the world around me and all of the cruh-aaaazy news. I owe that fact to being a caucasian in a snowglobe of safe charm. Growing up run-of-the-mill middle class in a little mountain town did not contend with much struggle to survive. I see the problems in our world and try to empathize, but I can only imagine the real injustice that happens from one country to the next.
I only remember a few Presidents growing up… the only thing about George HW that I can recall was Barbara Bush being ridiculed on magazine covers at the grocery store. My memory of Bill Clinton is curtailed to the Molly Shannon playing Monica Lewinsky on SNL. By high school, George W was in charge and I was just starting to understand the climate around others as the leaders in the White House change. Seeing American flags proudly up in rows along the sidewalk today, I close my mind of the headlines from last week, of the lamentable remarks reportedly made by our current President and exhale, remembering that for every Donald Trump born cradled in a silver spoon, there is a Martin Luther King Jr, ready to use their innate ability to connect with others and conquer the darkness that some try to use for gain.
In this illustration, I used the infamous mugshot of MLK in Birmingham, AL… the numbers reflected are changed to our current year. I couldn’t help but replace the four-digit inmate number to 2018, showing that from the time that picture was taken, in 1963, to now, we are still fighting and protesting similar, if not identical issues. We are still imprisoning minorities at higher rates, and therefore, letting the landslide of unjust treatment based on race plow through and destroy us. There are peaks and valleys, of course. We had a quiet eight years, but it only took one orange asshole to bring the white supremacists out of their rat dens. The hope is that history will repeat itself, in the way of a leader, an activist, who can bring an effacious message to the masses and create a ripple of positive change, worthy of a Federal Holiday. Behind this portrait are flowers, intended to be white poppys, a symbol of peace and pacifism. Yes, I understand the slight distaste of using a white flower to shout out the Civil Rights Movement, but it’s far less cheesy than using a peace sign.
I’d like to look at this image and not see the current year being a relevant token of duress and slanted views toward race and religion. I’d love to see society pledge to cogitate about the loss of freedoms, fear of law enforcement and likelihood of poverty in common-toned groups of people, and look beyond for a sense of togetherness that is completely achievable if all links in the chain are properly hanging on. Today we can hope for such a massive leap in humanity, that is, after all, the dream. Happy MLK day, let us not take his courage for granted.