Just a little advice to all of you. Don’t watch a very interesting program on CNN about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination right before going to bed. I did and couldn’t sleep a wink. Fascinating stuff though.
It’s been 40 years since he was killed. I stumbled across an interesting and touching Associated Press video yesterday of Jesse Jackson remembering that day 40 years ago.
I leave you with words from his last speech, his “I’ve been to the Mountaintop” address:
Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn’t matter with me now. Because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I’m happy, tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.
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So prophetic. I’ve often wondered how he knew so well what lay before him. I guess it must have been pretty clear to everyone. I was only three years old when he was murdered, so I don’t have any real sense of the times. But I admire MLK greatly for his willingness to fight on against injustice, facing his own death head on.
MLK is respected over here in Hungary as well, but not much information is available about him. But now, as with the Internet and you…
Thank you Paul. His last words you cited are so reassuring and calm, yet so sad somehow.
Thank you for sharing this. 40 years ago… half a lifetime…
It is sad – is the promised land any closer?
Vesper – I think the promised land is closer. It has to be.
Thanks for posting this Struggling Writer. Martin Luther King’s words mean a lot to me today even though I’m thinking about them probably in a different context to what he intended.