A Wall, A Message from Martin Luther King, Jr.
The symbolism of this photo is from what I believe is one of the greatest speeches of human history. I try to read it every year at this time and get something new from it each time: "With this faith, we will be able to hew out of a mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day".
For my Christian friends, I think these reflect the words of Galatians 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus".
To me the MLK monument also symbolizes a wall -- you walk through the cleft in the stone from one world to another as you enter the monument. In the darkness of a Washington evening, I left my familiar world as a business traveler and tourist in DC, and entered another one. I stood alongside African American families, and other groups of every "world" and we shared awe, reading the plaques and gazing on the statue, the older among us remembering his tumultuous times.
Social media often is the opposite of "Social". Just read the comments section of any news story to see how hatred and fear abounds, how it feeds upon itself, and how walls are subsequently built. And it's not just hyper-partisanship. Online, there is always a "we" and a "them". "We" hang out in tribes of others who are just like us. "They" are always seen as lower than us in every way.
This wasn't the dream of Martin Luther King -- not if you let his words sink in.
I am part of the "liberal" tribe, but we are just as guilty of building walls as any other tribe. What if we devoted more energy to connecting positively with anyone different instead of holding onto hatred and resentment?
I've been privileged to know many who are different and in each case, that connection has been beautiful. If you are presented with that same opportunity and/or if you get a chance to read the entirety of Martin Luther King's "I have a dream speech", even if you've read it before, I'm pretty sure you'll see some of that same beauty.
--Tim Fredrick, Martin Luther King Day, 2017
