In the Spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

If you encounter an enraged man with a gun in one hand and a child in the other, you don’t make fun of him. Entertaining ourselves by sharing the latest devastating put-down of the opposition is useless at best. In this moment, it contributes to the escalation of a conflict that holds the potential for widespread destruction.

MLK taught that “self-purification” was one of the four steps in non-violent action for change. That means doing the inner work required to stay focused on the goal and willing to sacrifice on its behalf. We discipline our own spirits to remember to appeal to the goodness in the other. We hold people in compassion at the same time we hold them accountable. And we white liberals get busy doing the tiresome, costly, long-term work of setting right our part in what is so very wrong.

There are good-hearted people who do not endorse violence but who truly believe the stories being told. Instead of telling them they’re stupid, we need to build a persuasive counter-narrative. We need to remember what we hold in common and look for creative solutions we can support together.

Hurling insults is one way of blowing off steam. It’s also a waste of adrenaline. The energy surge we feel when we read a news story is there to make us so uncomfortable with the status quo that we get about the business of making a difference. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and those who worked alongside him, have shown us a path toward true and lasting change. Let us honor them by bringing the inner and the outer work of nonviolent action to our own circles of influence.