Dr. Martin Luther King died at the hands of white supremacy. The thing he dedicated his life to combating ultimately took his life at only 39-years old. On a day like MLK Day we may take time to think about his life and legacy and look for inspirational quotes from his many speeches—and he certainly had many lessons and positive takeaways that make us feel good. But what matters most, is that we don’t forget that Dr. King was murdered by white supremacy. He warned society many times that positive feelings and comfort don’t often align with true justice and lasting change. These require uncomfortable conversations. These require truth and sincerity. These require a commitment to unlearning and learning.
In an interesting meta twist to this position, we must quote Dr. King to get this point across. In his 1963 “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”, Dr. King outlines that the greatest obstacle on the path toward freedom was not the KKK, but the white moderate “who is more devoted to ‘order’ than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice.” The white moderate is a well-meaning person who believes there are many injustices in our society, but who is more concerned with order and peace and ultimately prevents true progress. If progress were sold in stores it would be labeled “discomfort included,” and would be too bad a deal for white moderates to purchase.
Introductory self-reflection questions to begin the move from white moderate to true agent of change:
1. Am I too concerned with “civility” and “respect”?
2. Do I avoid conversations with family and friends about social justice because they may be too political?
3. Have I done enough to center Black and Brown voices? Do I know what this means?
4. Am I doing enough to learn about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion?
White moderation doesn’t have to be chronic. People can evolve and learn and become champions for change. If you have made it this far in this caption, you are on your way—knowledge is the first step.
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