It’s America’s birthday, people. That means this is a day to step back, eat something grilled, drink something alcoholic, and reflect on all things American. Bald eagles, apple pies, and Jennifer Lawrence’s ass should be on your mind today. So please enjoy it for America!
On behalf of myself, Jack Fisher, and all those who value love and freedom, happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I know it’s not a holiday on the same level as Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Arbor Day. However, it’s one of those days that carries with it a special sentiment that is uniquely powerful.
I talk a lot about freedom on this blog, particularly the sexy kind. I also talk a lot about equality and inequality, also within a sexy context. We all take that freedom and equality for granted on some levels. We live in a time where entire generations have little memory of the struggles that gave us this freedom and equality. That’s why days like this are so important.
Martin Luther King Jr. was very much a man ahead of his time, dreaming dreams that seemed so impossible. It’s easy to forget that he fought this struggle at a time when inequality and racial segregation was so entrenched that it seemed unfathomable that it could ever change. Martin Luther King Jr. dared to fight for that change. He dared to make this change fathomable. Moreover, he dared to do it without violence.
There’s something to be said about a man who faces that kind of ugliness in society and resists the urge to punch it in the jaw. Dr. King was a preacher by trade, but he was unique in that he practiced what he preached. He preached non-violence and love. Whether you’re deeply religious or haven’t been to church since the Carter Administration, that message resonates.
I talk a lot about particular inequalities on this blog, both in terms of society and in terms of romantic relationships. Even in my own books, I try to tell stories about a love between equals because I believe that when two people are equals, the true breadth of their love can flourish. It’s a type of love that’s difficult to flesh out, but it’s a beautiful thing when it manifests, as certain X-men comics have demonstrated.
That spirit of equality and the power it imparts is a spirit that Martin Luther King Jr. championed. Many of us still share that spirit to this day and on this day, we should all take a moment to appreciate his dream and his message.
With that, I leave you with the speech that made him an icon. Whether it’s 1963 or 2017, it’s a speech that should still give us shivers in all the right ways for all the right reasons.
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