Honor King’s dream every day of the year

It’s not a day off; it’s a day on. That much we know about the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

But does it need to be more than that?

Throughout the region on Monday, organizations sponsored service activities both to work in aid to those less fortunate and to come together as communities in the spirit of Dr. King’s legacy.

Likewise, churches and community groups held services Sunday and Monday with music and readings to honor the life of the slain civil rights leader and to recall his inspiring words.

But as the music fades away and the tired satisfaction of volunteer work sets in, those participating find themselves left with a question: Now what?

The notion of the “day on,” as opposed to the “day off,” is now well-established.

What remains troublesome is those other 364 days on the calendar.

The message of equality, social and economic justice and the pursuit of the American dream cannot be achieved in a single day of community interaction.

It must be an ongoing process, one that we espouse – and act on – every day, not just on a holiday set aside to honor the great civil rights leader.

We think Dr. King, who spent time as a student in this region, would be the first to point that out, to note how far the nation has come in the past half decade, and the dangers of sliding back into the hateful rhetoric of the past.

Yes, it’s true. The nation has made great strides.

But it’s equally true that some of that progress is eroding, if not in danger of being overrun altogether.

That clear and present danger was present on the streets of Charlottesville, Va., with angry citizens carrying tiki torches, now openly sewing the seeds of hate.

It has been present in the harmful words of the president, who if nothing else in the past year has shown a consistent inability to identify with the minority or immigrant experience.

It is being witnessed in the centers of power in Washington, D.C., Harrisburg and other capitols, where policies too often comfort those well-off while inflicting more pain and suffering on those who can least afford it.

And it is virulent on social media, where too many citizens fan the flames of invective that flies in the face of Dr. King’s beliefs.

King’s dream was very much alive across the region and nation Sunday and Monday.

But what of today? And tomorrow? And the rest of the year?

On all too many days, that dream is now backsliding into the hateful nightmare of our past.

We should be better than this.

In just a few short months, we will stop to mark the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. King.

We should use that time to redouble our efforts to be sure his dream does not die.

The debate will continue to evolve over how best to honor his legacy. Holiday? Day off? Day on? Community service? How about all of those? But not just one day. Every day.

The message of equality, social and economic justice and the pursuit of the American dream cannot be achieved in a single day of community interaction. It must be an ongoing process, one that we espouse – and act on – every day, not just on a holiday set aside to honor the great civil rights leader.