Why Do We Celebrate Martin Luther King’s Birthday?

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.” – Dr. Martin Luther King
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was born Jan. 15, 1929, and America celebrates his birth as a federal holiday each third Monday of January, which takes place this coming Monday, Jan. 18. It is appropriate and beneficial, for several reasons, for the American people to set the time aside to consider the contribution he made to our society. My natural tendency is to spend holidays without pausing to consider why. If I, whose job it is to head a newspaper plus write a weekly column, can slack in this way, chances are others may also be guilty of the same.
While we live in a wonderful nation, we have had — and still do have — problems; when we address them consciously, we mitigate them. One such enormous problem was slavery. Today we are still dealing with the aftermath. Slowly, most whites have come to realize that everyone is better off if all races live together in a mutually respectful way — that either it works for everybody, or, ultimately, it works for nobody.
Respect requires equal opportunity for every person. Helping Americans to grow in their understanding of the power available through Christ to share respect and equal opportunity was what Dr. King devoted his life to. As a Christian pastor, he knew he would not achieve these goals employing negativity: “(T)here is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.  We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. They have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.”
He did not advocate violence, rather, he appealed to love and truth. He did not respond to mistreatment by telling blacks to now settle the score.
He could have also looked at World War I and seen how the victors punished Germany, and in so doing, brought on another war. He was a particularly insightful man, and it is for this reason that our nation honors him today.
Dr. King stressed that people must strive to get ahead: “Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.”
Education is a key component. “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.”
King’s own high level of education demonstrated that people, even in face of discrimination, could live meaningful lives and effectuate change.
If he had thought that government handouts for people were the means of achieving a fruitful life, he would have dedicated himself to that cause. Handouts are tantamount to re-enslavement to a government master. He sought genuine freedom. He sought fair treatment for all people; nothing more; nothing less; nothing else. America was built by self-reliant people pulling together to craft a nation; he desired that people play a co-equal role in that task.
Dr. King called upon all of us to take the higher road. If we know what is good for our nation, we will never forget that appeal.
Art Hall 
From the Bible: Love is patient and kind and does not envy nor boast. It is neither arrogant nor rude; it is neither irritable nor resentful, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things and endures all things. Faith, hope, and love abide endure, but the greatest of these is love.  From 1 Corinthians 13