On this day 40 years age the world lost a great man when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was murdered in Memphis, Tennessee. And as I look back I wonder what would be the mind set of Dr. King if he were still alive: if he would say that his dream had been fulfilled. After all there have been many improvements in race relations in the past 40 years. A Black man is closer than at any point in the history of the United States to becoming president. The Secretary of State is a Black woman and the Secretary of State before her was Black. One of the justices on the Supreme Court is Black. In fact Black people can be found in positions of leadership all over the country. There is a M. L. King Street in almost every city and town in the U.S., but would he be proud that in many of these cities that street is found in worst section of town. One day I want to drive through a city and see M. L. King Street in the middle of the business district or be the street where the court house or civic center is. That does not happen even in Black towns such as Grambling, Louisiana.
All three presidential candidates spoke to crowds today concerning their memories of Dr. King. Senator John McCain and Senator Hillary Clinton were both in Memphis. Senator McCain spoke at a ceremony at the Lorraine Motel where Dr. King was murdered and Senator Clinton spoke at the church where Dr. King delivered his final sermon on the day before he was murdered. Senator Barack Obama decided against a personal pilgrimage to the city of Dr. King’s murder and spoke from the campaign trail in Indiana, where he said Dr. King’s pleas have yet to be answered fully. "You know, Dr. King once said that the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. ... But here's the thing — it does not bend on its own. It bends because each of us in our own ways put our hand on that arc and we bend it in the direction of justice," said Senator Obama. "So on this day of all days let us each do our part to bend that arc. Let's bend it toward justice. Let's bend that arc toward opportunity. Let's bend that arc toward prosperity for all."
Senator’s McCain and Clinton felt the need to be closer to Black crowds for political reasons. McCain intended to demonstrate an eagerness to appeal to Black voters who have long shunned Republicans. There was a scattering of boos as McCain spoke in front of the balcony where King was murdered. Many remember that Senator McCain voted against legislation making Dr. King’s birthday a holiday to which he apologized by saying, "We can be slow as well to give greatness its due, a mistake I made myself long ago when I voted against a federal holiday in memory of Dr. King. I was wrong and eventually realized that, in time to give full support for a state holiday in Arizona." (Yeah right, after the state had to be dragged to the decision by the NFL threatening to remove Phoenix from the Super Bowl site.) Clinton has struggled to gain Black votes since prominent Black figures criticized her last winter for saying that it took a White man, President Lyndon B. Johnson, to finally win passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Senator Obama's political agenda was different. He knows that he does not have to go to Memphis or Atlanta to honor Dr. King, because he honors him every day by striving to be a better person and doing things for the betterment of mankind. Senator Obama frequently recalls Dr. King's use of the phrase "the fierce urgency of now" as a motivation for his own candidacy for president. He has sought to avoid narrowing his electoral appeal by being seen solely or even predominantly as a Black candidate, but as a candidate of all the people.
Dr. Martin Luther King knew that no good cause in this world — however right in principle or pure in heart — was ever advanced without sacrifice. He was accustomed to the nearness of danger. His life was threatened many times and yet he marched and spoke about injustices everywhere. And when death came, it found him standing upright, and unafraid. He was called an agitator, a troublemaker, a malcontent, and a disturber of the peace. These are often the terms applied to men and women of conscience who will not endure cruelty, nor abide injustice. He was a true hero.
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