Courtesy Photo | Pictured is the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday poster. (Courtesy of DEOMI)... read more read more
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FORT BELVOIR, Va. - On a hot summer day nearly half a century ago, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., an African-American preacher with no official title or rank, gave voice to our nation's deepest aspirations, sharing his dream of an America that upheld the equality of all of her people. From the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, he inspired a movement that would push this country toward a more perfect union.
Today, we honor the courage and leadership Dr. King and many others exhibited to the world during America’s civil rights movement.
At a time when race relations and inequality divided us, Dr. King called on a generation of Americans to be “voices of reason, sanity, and understanding amid the voices of violence, hatred, and emotion,” observing that “the time is always right to do what is right.”
His example stirred men and women of all backgrounds to become advocates for justice; his leadership gave them the courage to reject the limitations of the day and fight for the prospect of tomorrow.
They took Dr. King’s exhortation to heart: “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
Because these individuals showed the courage and resilience to stand firm in the face of fierce resistance, we are the beneficiaries of an extraordinary legacy of progress.
Dr. King made the ultimate sacrifice in his great struggle for the equality of all peoples. Five years prior to his assassination, he said, “If a man hasn't discovered something he will die for, he isn't fit to live.” He clearly internalized this truth and embodied it to the end. He lived, knowingly put himself at risk, and died for the principle of equality.
Dr. King believed in the power of individual service in strengthening communities and achieving common goals, challenging every American to do their part. Today’s Army Reserve soldiers clearly embody his drive and spirit as they serve in more than 1,200 communities around this great country and in many others around the world.
Our team’s fallen heroes are memorialized at Arlington National Cemetery-not far from Dr. King’s memorial. Valiantly, they served and died defending what they held dear. They joined thousands of other veterans there and in other national cemeteries in the United States and around the world who, like Dr. King, discovered what they were willing to die for-all American people, regardless of race, color, or creed.
We celebrate a visionary who fought for the America he knew was possible. Dr. King's faith in God, who loves all of His children, and a nation grounded in the promise of equality would not let him rest until victory was achieved.
| Date Taken: | 01.17.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 01.17.2014 15:06 |
| Story ID: | 119319 |
| Location: | FORT BELVOIR, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 47 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Warrior citizens remember Dr. King’s lessons to a divided nation, by Jamal Beck, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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