Dr. Martin Luther King observed in a Waldorf School.

I do not bring this subject of "MLK Day" to you all for its connection to any particular movement against any particular bias, discrimination, or segregation. Rather, I hope we can widen our focus to something more universal. I offer this question in that effort: What do we do when we encounter something we feel is "wrong" or "unjust"?

Again, to be transparent, I will admit that the way in which my own biographical story answers this question is not my ideal. In my personal history there are plenty of examples of angry, judgmental, aggressive, argumentative, combative, hostile and violent reactions and behaviors. I say this to assure you that I do not write to you with any sense of superiority or from any moral high ground. I am a human, being quite human.

If you are already familiar, even vaguely, with the life of Dr. King, then you know that he helped plan, organize, and lead protests against laws and behaviors that he and others felt were wrong and unjust. What is most remarkable, of course, is not that he chose to stand up for what he believed was justice and morality against extreme levels of pressure and negative reaction, it was rather that he attempted to lead such protests in absolute peace. He endeavored to bring together huge numbers of people who would all engage in passive resistance. No matter what they encountered from the world of their fellow human beings, whether it was verbal derision, emotional scathing, physical abuse, or threats of terror and violence against themselves and their loved ones, the people following Dr. King had committed themselves to peacefulness. We could spend days discussing the actual actions, events, and achievements of Dr. King and those involved in the Civil Rights Movement of that time, but let us focus on this one aspect: they chose peace as their strategy. If nothing else, such a choice is remarkably rare, like a diamond.

Dr. King was a Christian minister and so it is rather obvious to see that he took some inspiration from Christian teachings. After all, Jesus is also sometimes referred to as the "Prince of Peace". Personally, I value many different religious teachings, including those of Jesus, but not out of any blind faith or adherence to a doctrine. Instead, I value stories from any and all religious or spiritual sources when I sense their worth, when I see how they can be applied in our world today. If someone wants to debate how "true" or "historically accurate" any of those stories are, I am generally uninterested. I am only interested in their application to our lives today. Proof is in the pudding, even when it is spiritual pudding.

It is for this reason that I am always so pleased to remember that Dr King attributed so much of his inspiration for the ways he attempted to lead the Civil Rights Movement to the example set--not by a Christian--but the shining example of a little Hindu man from India. Dr. King deeply revered the life and work of Mohandas K. Gandhi.

For now, let's just contemplate that wonderfully inspiring picture: that a very influential leader from one religion held another very influential leader from a very different religion is such high esteem. Next week, we will delve a bit into the life of that little shining Hindu man.