King's Human Goals

TOO OFTEN, the social and economic irrationalities that can turn us towards racism or xenophobia go unchallenged. But a few times in our nation's history, the challenge of selfishness and parochialism has been met, and those times are the stuff of the American dream.

In almost every case, it has taken a single leader with overpowering moral force to make his countrymen squarely face our deepest problems. America began the long process of solving the inhuman contradictions of race under the leadership of Abraham Lincoln. A hundred years later, it continued that process led by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. For generations, white Americans had countenanced prejudice and discrimination and Black Americans, intimidated by violence and tradition, failed to take effective action. But when M.L. King agreed to head the Mont-gomery bus boycott people began to muster courage and hope. And only when he had the tactical sense and the courage to face the firehoses and dogs in Birmingham and Albany and Selma and across the South were the mass of Americans moved enough to take concrete action.

Thursday is Martin Luther King's birthday, and it should be made a national holiday. And Harvard should make it a full holiday--there is no justification for honoring King halfway. Americans should spend a day reflecting on the life of our greatest modern leader not only because honor is due him, but as well because his example has much to teach us. The forces of selfishness, of mindless pride and arrogance, and most of all the forces that would have us tolerate injustice, are growing more powerful in our nation. We do need to get America moving again, but not towards military superiority or a balanced budget. Instead, before it is too late, before we are too far gone for help, we must again pursue the human goals of Martin Luther King--freedom from want, freedom from fear, freedom from hate, freedom to love.