King’s dream endures, but it’s not reality

As a transformational hero, King stands with Washington, Lincoln and Roosevelt.

The third Monday in January is set aside to honor the life and achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Repeated over time, the speeches and media tributes may start to seem redundant. They are not; honoring greatness is never redundant — and the example King set during those pivotal years of the Civil Rights Movement have ever-changing reverberations to this day.

As a transformational hero, King stands with Washington, Lincoln and Roosevelt. He employed his charisma and exceptional oratory skills to prompt America to begin transforming its views on race. No, the Dream is not realized, but it was King who set us moving toward it. As long as we don’t give up, it is attainable.

Unlike many who possess such motivational gifts in today’s world, King did not necessarily want to be the center of attention. He never seemed completely comfortable in that role, although he often found himself there because the times demanded it.

King tried — and most of the time succeeded — to let his message be the star. Perhaps his background in the clergy helped him understand the substance should always be more important than the style with which it is delivered. But oh, what a style he had.

King’s message was simple. In fact, it was rooted in the American ideal: equality, opportunity and justice for all. Not just on paper or in theory. Not just among the races or in the courtroom, but among all people and among all economic levels.

He believed that all human beings, regardless of color, creed or economic status, had value and deserved both dignity and respect.

Unfortunately, that message seems to have taken a detour. After a nasty presidential campaign, many Americans believe that the election of Donald Trump as president is a frontal assault on King’s ideals. King himself surely would have been profoundly disappointed with the outcome — the antithesis of the contest just eight years earlier when the first black man was elected with strong majorities.

Still, were King alive today, he would not abandon his vision for America. Far from it. While he preached as an idealist, King had a pragmatic side. He was a masterful political tactician. Political disappointment, setbacks, even jail time only motivated him to work harder.

An assassin cut him down. But his dream for America is a genie that cannot be put back in the bottle. To those who believe in it, this is a time more than ever to follow King’s lead and redouble nonviolent efforts to make it a reality.