Honoring Martin Luther King

Tomorrow we honor the life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. You would think this occasion is not controversial, but just this past week or so a city councilman in Greeley, Colorado was taken to task over negative comments he made about Rev. King.

With the recent trauma of the shootings in Arizona which left six people dead and fourteen more wounded, including U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords, we are reminded of the violence that can take away lives. And we can debate about whether angry rhetoric creates an atmosphere for that violence.

I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Northeast Brazil when Martin Luther King was killed. But it is not how I remember him. As a young woman growing up in the South, I too was lifted by his words and his vision. And like so many others, we all were called to action.

Let us be reminded that he gave voice to hope and way out of injustice. The way out was not violent. It was to stand up and bear witness to what we believe is right. If we demand civil debate, it will come. If we practice non-violence, we still can have change.

Politics is about building community. It is also about listening to those around us and making sure that their voices are heard. It is about public service. If we want to honor Martin Luther King, Day, we commit ourselves to making the lives of our brothers and sisters better.