Many say that Martin Luther King Jr. was before his time and they'd be absolutely correct. Jesus Christ was also before his time. Both men have so many similarities; this truth only hit me this past MLK Jr. Day. Both of them wanted peace and to share love. I believe that MLK Jr. was trying to follow Christ's example of turning the other cheek. The Black Panther Party, on the other hand, was full of violence.
Both of them also wanted equality for all. While MLK Jr. was about Black Rights, Christ was about everyone being able to accept Him whether they were Samaritans, Jews or Gentiles. He wanted all of us to be able to have our sins forgiven. MLK Jr. wanted his dream to come alive and we are only part way there. Granted, we have come a long way since the 1950s, yet there are still some discouraging facts that still remain. There are still instances where blacks get paid less than whites for the same job. There are still people who feel that blacks are inferior and treat them as such.
Now, I haven't experienced the level of racism like my parents or grandparents have, but I have seen some things that sadden me to the core. High school was the first place. It was weird being in an all-white school or mostly white by the time I graduated. Many of the kids had never had a black friend before. Many of them didn't have black neighbors or fellow church members. I was the first one they talked to, which meant I literally had to be the bulldozer over their previous notions about my race. Some were simply curious and seriously wanted to know, and others just wanted another reason to make fun of me. I still shake my head at the questions I was asked and the jokes that were told with me as the butt end. I was not ok with the latter, but they continued and ignored my plea to stop.
MLK Jr. and Christ both died for what they believed in. No one was going to stop them and make them change their minds. They weren't cowards. They weren't stupid. They wanted change to happen and they did everything they could in their short time on this earth to see their dream through. It's up to us to continue this mission of equality for all and salvation for all.