People who say that all words hold the same amount of
meaning have obviously never been insulted or listened to/read incredibly
moving speeches. Words are sounds put together, but those sounds become
attached to meaning, and that meaning becomes attached to something bigger.
Anyone who has ever been called a name, insulted by words uttered, or felt
threatened or hurt by another human knows the power words can have. They have
the power to tear groups apart and down, they have the power to change
perspectives, to harm livelihoods, and to single out individuals. They also
hold the power to build groups and bring people together, to change
perspectives, and to help individuals. Words are powerful, and when used
properly they can bring about change in a big way [both good and bad].
Some
people know how to string those sounds and words together just right to make us
think, reflect, and move. Strong writers and orators hold power that many
“regular people” do not. They are called upon when times get tough to bring
about perspective. In the age of instant gratification we tweet, post, and send
things in the hopes of getting “likes” and feedback in that moment by as many
people as possible. However, the greatest inspiration in my opinion comes from sentences
that are spread through speaking, listening, and thinking.
We
have many great speechmakers in the world today and with social media and the
global world connected so closely, it is easy to hear something inspirational
as soon as it is said. Meryl Streep’s speech at the Golden Globes and Barack
Obama’s and Michelle Obama’s speeches in the past few years are 2 prime
examples of when words spread quickly to bring about quick change. However, we
can also look to history to give us some of the most inspirational people who
continue to shape how many of us try to live our lives.
On
this Martin Luther King Jr. day I am reminded when I log into Facebook just how
many quotes that man said that could be taken any day to make me a better
person. He has so many outlooks on life that can be taken every day to inspire
people to be kinder, to look past appearances, and to be grateful for what you
have. His most famous speech is without a doubt “I have a dream…” Do you think
he knew when wrote those 4 words that they would become 4 of the most famous
words in American history? Do you think he set out to change American’s views
of what our country could be? I don’t think so. I think he was simply writing
down his hopes, and yet because of how great of a man and how great of a
speechmaker and writer he was, those 4 words changed history in many ways.
I
was always socially aware, but I tended to keep my political and social views
and opinions to myself. I surround myself with like-minded people and I know
whom I disagreed with, and we would stay off issues. This past year, with
everything that has happened in American and in some parts of the world
politics, I have found my voice and passion. This post is not about politics
persay. However, the fact that 54 years after Martin Luther King Jr. gave a
speech talking about how he hoped one day his children would not be judged by
the color of their skin but by the content of their character, we are about to
have a President who was elected despite basically offending every group
possible, continuously using hateful rhetoric to put down and exploit anyone
who is not a white, straight, male (and even then, he hasn’t supported them),
and who attacked a leading civil rights leader just days before MLK day. Hate
crimes since he was elected have risen and many of my friends and just many
Americans in general are genuinely worried for their safety and livelihoods,
simply because they are different. I don’t know what exactly MLK would say if
he saw America right now, but I know he would not be pleased with what he saw.
This
comes after we had our first African American president. This comes after we
were moving forward in creating equal rights for people. We still had a long
way to go, and there are many things that still needed fixing, but we were
headed in the right direction. I take comfort in knowing that a majority of
America did not agree with his rhetoric, did not find fear a comfort, and
believe that everyone is in fact equal. I take comfort when I go to work with
children and see that they play with each other, laugh with each other, and
help each other. If they fight it’s because one took away another’s toy, they
cry and then they are back to being best friends 10 minutes later. I take
comfort in knowing that this generation in school now are global citizens, that
they care about the rest of the world and what’s happening, and that they are
preparing to be more socially aware than the generations ahead of them. I take
comfort in seeing feel-good stories of
“every day people” who genuinely want the world to be a better place,
helping others with anything they can, from volunteering to donating money to
charities and organizations to just giving a smile and a hug to a stranger or a
friend.
Words
and actions both show who a person really is. Not everyone has the power to
change the world through their words like MLK, however your words are important
to the people around you. And sometimes actions do speak louder than words. MLK
and many others were able to change the course of history through speaking,
marching, and sitting. They changed perspectives of individuals until enough
individuals made groups. That is where we are at now. Your words might not
shape the world for the future, but your actions can shape a friends or a
strangers’ life. So instead of using your power to hurt someone, try to help
them instead. You might not think you have much power, but change comes in
ripples and waves, and you could be that. Change comes when someone thinks they
have the power and they use that for good.
Martin
Luther King Jr. had a dream that everyone would live together side-by-side
peacefully and happily. I don’t know if we will ever get there, and we
certainly aren’t there now. Hatred and prejudice is still very much in the
world, and it’s not going away any time soon. But even with everything bad he
saw, MLK still believed of the good in people and still believed that love
overcomes hate. If MLK could stand up for those, even with all the darkness he
experienced, then surely we can too. So in the times of darkness, it’s useful
to look to inspirational people like Martin Luther King Jr. along with many
others. Take their outlook, their actions, and their words and put them into
play in your own life. Whether that be marching in a rights march, paying for
someone’s food, or just not firing back and being mean when someone is rude to
you. Love is more powerful than hate, and right now we need more of it in the
world.
