shout out to Dr. King, Jr

I don't have a lot of memories of MLK Jr. Day. Although I appreciate Dr. King and think his work and his life was extraordinary, it's always been (sadly) just a day off of school to enjoy.

One memory that stands out, however, was the Northridge earthquake of 1994. It happened on MLK Jr. Day. I was 6 years old. All I remember is my Dad (I thought he was a stranger) grabbing me out of bed along with my bedding and running to the doorway. I was terrified. I didn't sleep for two weeks in my own bed (this may be a skewed version of a 6 year old's memory--I should probably clarify with my parents--but this is what I remember).

Well, I have a new memory to add. I wasn't especially in the greatest mood this last Monday. Although it was a great day to relax and take a step back from school, I was a bit ornery the whole day. I wanted to get out of the house, but there was nothing to do. Well, Sarah invited me to come with her to the commemoration on campus for Dr. King. It was AMAZING.

Not only did I get to enjoy the soul choir and their performance, or the clips from Dr. King's "I Have a Dream Speech," but I got to enjoy listening to Peter Johnson, an assistant professor of accounting in the BYU Marriott School of Management. He spoke about Dr. King's famous speech and gave examples about how it has been fulfilled today. And then he continued on saying that although Dr. King's dream has been fulfilled, it doesn't mean that our world is anywhere near perfect. There is still segregation and racial discrimination today--and we can continue on in Dr. King's legacy by doing all we can to further acceptance and equality. (He had a cool story about Morgan Freeman who found out that a high school in Mississippi in 1998 was STILL having segregated proms! A black prom and a white prom. And when he found out, he offered to pay for the prom, no matter the cost, as long as it was a combined prom. They turned it down!! He re-offered in 2008 and they accepted. Morgan Freeman said that the $16,000 was worth it and that those kids would probably not end up going back because they had tasted equality. Cool huh?)

But then Peter Johnson continued and said that although there is still segregation and racial discrimination in the world, it is no longer the leading cause of the destruction of society. The dysfunctional family is now destroying society. He talked about how "no other success can compensate for failure in the home" (David O. McKay). He stressed the importance of the family and how we can be examples to the world by raising and teaching our children in a righteous manner.

It was such an inspiring night! Dr. King lived an amazing life. He was a talented speaker and knew how to draw crowds. He took his inspiration from Gandhi and was a great example to all.