HORSHAM AIR GUARD STATION, Pa.- Capt. Tabia Cole, 111th Attack Wing deputy staff judge advocate, reflects on her favorite Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. quotes due to the impact they made on her career and why she serves in the Pa. Air National Guard.
“A right delayed is a right denied."
Spending more than eleven years as a criminal attorney, public defender and prosecutor, this quote speaks to her passion for constitutional law and applies to her career, she said. Cole stated she has witnessed people being wrongfully convicted, receiving injustice, denied their constitutional rights and jail for life without a fair trial.
These injustices are what King felt not only affects one, but all. And that lends to Cole’s next favorite quote.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
Cole says this quote rings true to King’s work. She also says, “If you tolerate injustice, you breed greater injustice”. For Cole, this goes beyond rights, but is part of her moral code as it concerns all humanity.
She encourages others to adopt that same code and to do their part in making the world a better place.
Another favorite quote of hers from King speaks to that approach.
“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity."
Cole said this reminds her of the sacrifice those in uniform make by serving their country.
She goes on to say, "If you only live your life to serve yourself and the ones close to you, you’re not working towards the betterment of humanity, which should be everybody’s individual goal. We should have concerns beyond ourselves and the people that love us. That’s the only way we can guarantee a better future.”
On January 18, Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson and U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein, stated King’s influence on our nation’s active-duty Airmen, Air Force Reservists and Air National Guardsmen. “When America celebrates the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on January 21st, pause to reflect on his legacy of courage, truth, integrity, humility, and service. We share these values as Americans and as Airmen."
Cole’s sentiments mirror those of the Air Force leadership.
“If we have our eye on the idea of creating a greater community for all of humanity, we will achieve his wishes, ideals and dreams of having a more perfect nation."
(Senior Airman Timi Jones contributed to this article)