A day to reflect, recommit to the vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Today is a very special day – a time for us to not only pay tribute to one of our nation’s greatest leaders but to reflect upon and recommit ourselves to the ideals that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. championed.
But we shouldn’t fool ourselves.
Dr. King’s vision for what America can become – a vision for which he and many others gave their lives – is under fierce attack.
In four days we will have a new president – a man who has denigrated Muslims, Latinos, African Americans, women, people with disabilities and others.
Our president-elect is a man who has chosen a senior adviser who enabled the rise of a white nationalist movement.
Donald Trump will be working with a Congress that promises to shred the social safety net – most assuredly the health care law that is protecting millions of Americans from sickness and economic ruin.
While we should remain clear-eyed about the storm we’re facing, we must not be daunted.
I know deep in my heart that, standing together, we can weather this storm. We can and will defeat the forces of extremism. We’ve come too far to turn back now.
But it will take an army of compassionate people, working peacefully, with the will to sacrifice and the strong wind of truth at our backs. On this day, I’ll reflect on what more I can do. I hope you will, too.
