I believe it was divine order that the national observance of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday and the end of one of the most divisive presidencies in U.S. history happened in the same week. King marched with Black sanitation workers in Memphis to uplift their humanity and promote wage equality. The former president incited an insurrection on the U.S. Capitol; a domestic terrorist attack had to be the most predictable in American History.
Both men have a legacy. King, as one who worked until his last breath to unite us; the former president, as one who worked until his last moments in office to divide us. King stood on a platform of justice; the former president stood on a platform of "just-us."
The inauguration of a new presidential administration gives some, including myself, a renewed sense of hope. I would suggest that it is only through love that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris can close the chasm of division created by the previous administration. King once said, "We need leaders not in love with money, but in love with justice. Not in love with publicity, but in love with humanity."
The nation's progress over the next four years should not be measured on the scales of "just-us." Stories of economic growth, tax breaks for the wealthy and big business, and policies that favor corporations over the environment, should not be the benchmarks. Going forward, we must measure our nation's progress on the scales of justice. Improvements in healthcare, small business relief, racial reconciliation, controlling COVID-19, and the condemnation of white supremacy should be our goals. It is time for everyone to feel valued and know they have a place in the Beloved Community.
I’m Joe Mitchell and that’s my Perspective.
