The first time I wrote about Martin Luther King, I highlighted the connection between his “I have a Dream Speech” and the Green Bay Packers in a post I called Champions and Friends.
The next time I wrote about him, I talked about the Secret Heart of America and prayed that it pulsed with patriotism and pride, empathy and strength.
Another year, I wrote about Leonard Pitts and his profound appearance in Appleton when he taught us all about what can happen to a country while we have been “I have a Dreaming.”
I have written about Jim Zwerg, an Appleton hero who risked his life in defense of equality, about Vince Lombardi’s strong voice during a volatile time and the importance of taking a stand against white supremacy.
I featured my brother in-law, a reluctant hero who integrated his high school not all that many years ago.
I’m not sure there is anything new to say about Martin Luther King and his eloquent struggle to see our nation rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed.
But, there are things we can do.
We can lead with kindness and the kind of strength that celebrates character.
We can listen to the candidates who are running for office, study their literature and vote with reason and consistency.
We can serve when we are summoned.
We can appreciate the power of language and choose our words accordingly. In doing so, we can understand that some words should not be said in any context.
We can celebrate faith in our god and in each other and work to “transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood.”
We can start, again, today.
