Martin Luther King Jr. is a man who needs no introduction. Because of him, we have the Civil Rights Act. Because of him, we have legal equality. Because of him, we live in a nation where people are not judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

It is tempting to assume that Dr. King was always destined for greatness. But he was not. He became great through the decisions that he made. In fact, as a young man, when local activists approached him to lead the fight against segregation, he was reluctant. Plagued by fears and feelings of inadequacy, he did not want to make waves. And he declined. But on December 5, 1955 after Rosa Parks was arrested and a boycott of Montgomery buses was called, Dr. King watched one bus, then another, and another, usually filled with African American workers, pass by him empty. Instead, he saw masses of people walking, hitchhiking and even driving farm equipment to work. And he realized a miracle had taken place: “I knew that there is nothing more majestic than the determined courage of individuals willing to suffer and sacrifice for their freedom and dignity.” He took up the fight. And the rest, as they say, is history.

I am not a religious person, but that does not mean I am a man without faith. The faith I hold is in the remarkable capacity of my fellow humans for compassion and for change. As a species, we aspire to do better, to be better. We want to leave the darkness of the cave and come into the light. And when someone comes along who illuminates a path towards that opening, history vindicates us, because we follow them into a brighter future. When it comes to shelter animals, in your community that “someone” can be you. The most majestic thing of all is the determined courage of individuals willing to sacrifice for the freedom and dignity of others—especially when those others have no voice of their own.



NKC website banner2_Layout 1_0001


Be Sociable, Share!