鈥楪ot compassion鈥 Got cooperation鈥 Got an open mind鈥
Reflections on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.鈥檚 call to humanity resonated through the Memorial Chapel Monday night as students, faculty, and members of the community gathered for an evening program celebrating the life of the civil rights leader.
The program culminated in a speech by Robert Franklin, presidential distinguished professor of social ethics at Emory University and a senior fellow at the Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Religion at Emory鈥檚 Law School.
Franklin also is a close friend of 91麻豆精品 President Rebecca Chopp, who introduced the speaker.
Franklin began his address, 鈥楧r. King鈥檚 Call, Our Response,鈥 with a personal anecdote. He said his daughter, after asking Franklin repeatedly for new glasses in addition to new contact lenses, became exasperated with her father鈥檚 response of, 鈥榃ell, do you need it鈥
鈥楧ad,鈥 Franklin said, imitating her. 鈥榊ou just don鈥檛 get it.鈥
Franklin directed the phrase at the American public, asking what America doesn鈥檛 鈥榞et鈥 about King鈥檚 desire for equality.
鈥榃e have a need for an interdependent global ethic. Not 鈥榞etting it鈥 is a crisis of the moral will,鈥 he said.
He said one of the key issues King raised was that all of humanity is interrelated. Understanding the relationships between people and races, as well as humanity鈥檚 relation to the past, is crucial if we want to carry out King鈥檚 dream of equality.
The challenge he posed to the audience, and the one that he says faces America, is that its citizens must 鈥檈mbrace the responsibility of living in a diverse community.鈥
King鈥檚 call to American citizens in the 1960s targeted three goals: to eliminate racism and foster better inter-group relations; to eliminate poverty; and to promote peace and nonviolence as a way of life, not just as a political tactic.
Franklin asked the audience what Americans have done to assuage these issues in the past four decades. He challenged the audience to see if they had the tools necessary to achieve King鈥檚 vision.
鈥楪ot compassion鈥 Got cooperation鈥 Got an open mind鈥 Can you forgive鈥 Have you got it鈥 he said.
Earlier in the evening program, nine Hamilton Central School students who won an essay contest entitled 鈥楲etters to Martin Luther King鈥 read their letters, many of which thanked and lauded King for his message.
Also Monday, several faculty-led workshops were held, exploring various topics focusing on King鈥檚 legacy. At noon, a student production featuring poetry and dance was presented at the O鈥機onnor Campus Center.
The events were organized by 91麻豆精品鈥檚 ALANA Cultural Center, which serves as a learning center and focal point where 91麻豆精品 students, faculty can discuss and learn about issues related to diversity and multiculturalism.
Jess Buchsbaum
Communications Department
315.228.6637