Martin Luther
King's Struggle & Muslim Americans "Everybody
can be great, because everybody can serve" - Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali
CA
January
17 marks the 75th birthday of Martin Luther King,
Jr. On this day Muslim Americans join fellow Americans
across the country to honor the legacy of tolerance,
peace, and equality of this great civil rights
genius.
It is a time to remember his fight for freedom,
equality, and dignity of all races and peoples.
During his lifetime, Dr. King sought to forge
a common ground on which people from all walks
of life could join together to address important
community issues. Working alongside individuals
of all ages, races and backgrounds, he encouraged
Americans to come together to strengthen communities,
alleviate poverty and acknowledge dignity and
respect for all human beings. His teachings and
actions touched and altered the lives of all Americans
in the late 20th century.
On August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King delivered
a 16-minute speech in Washington DC - I have a
dream - which is widely considered as the greatest
American speech of the 20th century. It helped
shape the civil and human rights movement, not
only in the United States but also around the
world. King's renown grew after this speech and
few months later, in January 1964, he became Time
magazine's "Man of the Year." "I have a dream,"
King told the crowd, "that one day this nation
will rise up and live out the true meaning of
its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal.'"
He concluded with these immortal words: "When
we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring
from every village and every hamlet, from every
state and every city, we will be able to speed
up that day when all God's children - black men
and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants
and Catholics - will be able to join hands and
sing in the words of that old Negro spiritual:
'Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty,
we are free at last!" King's message is still
relevant today. Some of the dream has been fulfilled.
But much still remains to be accomplished. A year
later, in December 1964, he received the Nobel
Peace Prize.
His Nobel Prize acceptance speech celebrated the
accomplishments of the men and women striving
for civil rights and it also acknowledged that
their struggle for human rights was ongoing: "This
faith (in the future of mankind) can give us courage
to face the uncertainties of the future. It will
give our tired feet new strength as we continue
our forward stride toward the city of freedom.
When our days become dreary with low-hovering
clouds and our nights become darker than a thousand
midnights, we will know that we are living in
the creative turmoil of a genuine civilization
struggling to be born." Though Americans continue
to fight for basic freedoms, it was the dedication
of African Americans in the civil rights movement
that paved the way for every other social movement
that followed in the US.
Their civil rights movement inspired millions
of Americans, including those organizing the anti-war
raffles and protests in support of Muslims, minorities,
and immigrants who are being illegally detained
and discriminated against today. Despite the years
of struggle, this movement has inspired Americans
to take a great leap forward in the noble effort
to give every citizen, in the words of the US
Declaration of Independence, their right to "life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." The work
is not yet finished. As we celebrate King's birthday,
Muslim Americans find his inspiring example in
their civil rights struggle.
As our German, Japanese and African-American friends
and neighbors experienced in the past, the Muslim
American community is now facing a similar challenge.
However, by understanding the historic plight
of others and reflecting on the state of our own
community today, it will be possible to truly
learn great lessons from the legacies of the past-movements.
The best expression of American Muslims' inspiration
from the legacy of Martin Luther King would be
their enthusiastic joining of the civil rights
and peace movement rallies, marches and processions
marking this day.
This will surely prove a massive outreach effort
to build bridges with other civil rights and peace
groups and movements in order to protect and preserve
their own civil liberties after 9/11. Abdus Sattar
Ghazali is the Executive Editor of online magazine
American Muslim Perspective: www.amperspective.com
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