Rise against injustice

Martin Luther King Jr. had more than a dream, he had a vision. He worked tirelessly for this vision, hoping one day to see equality for all creeds and colors. His heavy eyes would not see this vision come to pass due to his untimely death at the age of 39.

King, like us, was just a student at first. A young black man trying to make his way through college, King believed that a college education would be a secure safety net even for a "colored person."

King graduated from high school at the young age of 15, and then went on to receive his B.A. degree in 1948 from Morehouse College. He studied theology for three years at Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania before getting his doctorate at Boston University. There, he met his future wife, Corretta Scott. While he worked as pastor at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala., King's two sons and two daughters were born.

At no point in time did King think about becoming the leader of one of the biggest movements in the history of our nation. What was, and is, so amazing is that when he received the call to lead the civil rights movement, he answered and accepted it. He forged ahead no matter the cost, always believing ideals and systems could change.

Here we are, like King, sitting in our classes wondering what we'll do with our lives. Will we be called to lead someday? Will you or I be up for the challenge? Can we take on what seems an impossible force to bring light and hope to others who struggle under the power of someone else's so-called righteousness?

Much like King, we may not be called upon for many years to come, but more than understanding race relations, King showed men and women that change can be made if someone will stand up and demand it. Others who believe in the same rights for all people will join the fight.

"Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness." - Martin Luther King Jr.

King knew that leading the civil rights movement would not be easy, but he would not let selfishness stand in the way of making America an equal place for all. He took up his mantle scared, afraid of the repercussions, but unwilling to lay down anymore.

He stood for truth and sacrifice, teaching all those after him that in life, standing up for what one believes is not a privilege, but a right and a responsibility. In King's darkest moments, he questioned whether he had the strength to lead, much like Moses questioned God. Like Moses, King felt a calming presence enter his body, telling him God would be at his side forever. With that fire inside, King stepped up and helped change America.

Passion, a drive for equality and justice are traits we are all born with. While most of us will not be called on to change America the way King did, we should strive to follow in his selfless and courageous footsteps.