Martin Luther King Day
January 21st 2013
I read an interesting fact in the news just the other day. No. I read a very disturbing fact in the news. I read that in the 45 years since the death of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., more Americans have died from gun violence in the U.S. than have died in ALL the wars in the entire history of the United States. I’m going to take a moment to let that sink in; more than every war, from the American Revolution to the current war in Afghanistan, compared to just the past 45 years.
I am not much of a church-going individual. I believe that God abides in every house, and it doesn’t really matter what building I’m in. If I’m looking for God, I will find him and He will find me. And I do pray and try to keep myself open to God’s wisdom, with varying degrees of success.
Since the day of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings, one of the things that I have prayed for is that God will help me find the right words to talk to my friends and my neighbors about violence and guns. The right words. Because I am afraid that I am going to open my mouth and all that I will accomplish is to create confrontation and antagonism. I’m afraid that my words will fail me and that I will fail you. Because I know that my feelings about guns are pretty extreme. I don’t think that any civilian should own a gun for any reason; not for sport, not for hunting, not for protection from criminals and not for protection from a potentially tyrannical government. I know that’s a pretty extreme position to take, but that is how I feel.
But this is Martin Luther King Day and I am a student and a disciple of Dr. King and his teachings. Martin Luther King devoted his life to the cause of non-violence. Dr. King gave his life to the cause of non-violence. And so I looked to the writings of Dr, King and tried to find something that might guide me and pull me back from expressing an extremist point of view. And in his Letter from Birmingham City Jail, Dr. King wrote, “The question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists will we be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love?”
So I’m going to be an extremist for love.
As a parent, there is nothing in the world more important to me than the safety of my children. I think every parent feels that way. It’s why the deaths of the children at Sandy Hook Elementary have hit so many of us so hard. And it is why so many people are asking what can be done to make our schools safer, what can be done to make our children safer. There are some people – people of good will – who believe that what makes our schools vulnerable is that we don’t have enough guns there. Our schools need more armed guards. Our schools need teachers trained to carry and use a firearm. There are some who believe that the only answer to a bad man with a gun is a good man with a gun.
There are some who believe that the only way to be safe is to have your own gun.
If a child hits another child with a rock, does anyone here believe that the answer is to make sure that every child has their own rock?
Is that our answer to the senseless violence in the world? Get your own rock? Dr. King teaches us that this can never be the answer. Dr. King says that “Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding darkness to a night already devoid of stars… Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that.”
Oh… Well… That’s nice to say, but what do you do when there’s a man with a gun?
Have we forgotten that Dr. King stood up to men with guns many, many times? Martin Luther King changed our nation in ways that not even presidents and America’s armies could do. And he changed our nation and our world with non-violence and love. Dr. King’s super power was love.
Have you ever imagined a moment when you were a hero? I think about this sometimes. What would it be like if I saved someone’s life? Perhaps you have imagined this too. You rushed in and pulled someone out of a burning building. Or you snatched someone to safety as they were about to step off the curb and be struck by an oncoming bus. Maybe you see someone across the restaurant choking and you jump up and administer a Heimlich maneuver.
You saved someone’s life. You’re a hero. You made a difference between life and death. It is perhaps the single greatest thing you will ever do in your life. Imagine being able to do that. Imagine coming to the rescue of someone whose very life depends on you.
Now imagine all the things you can do – or could do – to be a part of lessening gun violence in our world. And there are many, many things you can do; sign a petition, write a letter, donate to a cause or a campaign, organize your neighbors, or simply let your own voice be heard.
How much of a difference will it make? I don’t know.
Will it end gun violence? Will it put a stop to the senseless massacre of innocent children? Probably not. But if what you do can somehow save one life. One. Single. Life. Won’t that be worth it? If you can save one life, won’t that be the single greatest thing you will ever do in your life?
I am asking you not to pass up the chance to be the hero that you always dreamed of being. I am asking you to save just one life. I am asking you to forget the politics. I am asking you to forget the practicality of what can be done and what can’t be done. I am asking you to forget about the debate.
The house is on fire and there’s a child in the window, calling for your help. I am asking you to make the choice to save that one life.
Save a life.
Close your eyes and make that promise. Not to me, but to yourself. Make that promise. I WILL save a life.
Mark S. Robinson
January 21st 2013
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