IN TWEET: ON THE 45TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ASSASSINATION OF MLK JR. WE PAUSE TO REFLECT ON THE LEGACY OF A CIVIL RIGHTS PIONEER.
45 years ago today, the life of civil rights pioneer Martin Luther King Jr. was cut tragically short by an assassin's bullet while he stood on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN. As is often the case when the righteous are killed by the wretched, no bullet and no weapon can stop a movement powered by the search for justice.
I owe Martin Luther King Jr. and his allies, famous and nameless, more than a debt of gratitude. In fact, any thinking person who knows that equality, dignity and opportunity are basic human rights, should pause for at least a moment today and give thanks for the sacrifices made by King and all of the seekers of social justice who came before us.
While in the midst of my own reflection on the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., I am putting the final touches on a post about the lack of participation in the greater civil rights movement by "establishment" LGBT organizations like the HRC and GLAAD. Why is it, for example, that the NAACP will take a public stand in support of marriage equality but major LGBT groups don't return the favor with direct action when it comes to issues like voting rights? Where was the HRC during the last election when states were attempting to make it more difficult to vote?
That post, however, will be featured tomorrow because today shouldn't be about what divides us. Today is dedicated to the progress we've made as a nation in the march towards full civil rights for all. That's the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and the ultimate destination that his spirit guides us toward.
- CLICK HERE to visit the National Civil Rights Museum site.
- CLICK HERE to watch video released for the first time this week of the arrest and incarceration of James Earl Ray, the man who assassinated Martin Luther King Jr.