At The Center of Non-Violence Stands The Principal of Love

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of the character." Martin Luther King, Jr., from his 1963 "I Have A Dream" speech. I will never understand how some people can have so much animosity towards another human being based solely on the color of their skin without knowing what is in their heart or anything about them. I will never understand the hatred that some people have without reason other than their own prejudices.

Martin Luther King, Jr., received the Nobel Peace prize in 1964 for his work fighting against racial segregation and discrimination through non-violent means, four years before he was assassinated, but he didn't want to be remembered for the awards that he won, but for how he fought peacefully for justice. He gave his life to serving others. He fought for blacks that were treated unfairly by police officer's. He fought for blacks that were unable to gain lodging or food, due to the color of their skin and he fought to remove signs that read "For White's Only."

Thanks to people like Martin Luther King, Jr., we have come a long way from the day when blacks couldn't vote, ride in the same bus as a white person and the unthinkable life of slavery. It is unfortunate that Martin Luther King, Jr., could not have witnessed the nomination of a black president, since he had such a big part in people accepting blacks for their character and not their color. One has no choice of the color of their skin that they are born with or their race; however, we all have a choice of how we treat other human beings that are different from us. I cannot imagine how it feels to be denied entrance into a restaurant or a bus or to be chained up, beaten and my rights taken away and owned by someone as their slave. But, Martin Luther King, Jr., has given me a glimpse of what life must have been like for many black people. I only wish that the people who are still prejudice of the color of a man's skin could walk in their shoes for one day to see how it feels. Perhaps then they would understand the significance of the passion of Reverend King.

Between 1957 and 1968 Mr. King traveled over six million miles and spoke over twenty-five hundred times appearing wherever there was injustice. I have never had the passion for anything in my life like Mr. King had for the injustice of blacks and my respect and admiration for him and his cause goes beyond any words that I can think of. He was a truly amazing man. Time magazine named Martin Luther King, Jr., man of the year in 1963, which made him the youngest man to receive this award. He was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of non-violence and believed that resistance to non-violence is the only weapon to fight against inequality and injustice. Everything he did was done in an attempt to make the world a better place. What have you done in your life to make this world better place?

It is amazing when you look over the life of Martin Luther King, Jr., and what he accomplished in his life. It is my dream that I will leave this world knowing I made some small difference--Mr. King made a huge difference. He said, "If a man hasn't discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live." Martin died on the evening of April 4, 1968 while standing on the balcony of his hotel room, where he was to lead a protest march in sympathy with striking garbage workers in Memphis, Tennessee.

My wish for everyone in this world is for you to have compassion and love for your fellow man and judge them, as Martin Luther King, Jr., says, for their character and not the color of their skin. When you feel you're being prejudices please try and imagine yourself in that person's shoes and remember that you could have very easily been born as they are. Monday, January 18th, marks the celebration of the birth of Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. His birthday is January 15th, but is observed on the third Monday of each year in January. It is one of the four U.S. federal holidays to commemorate an individual person. Thank you Martin Luther King, Jr. for making this world a better place.