The NBA does a tremendous job honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

                                          (Credit: Biography.com) 

 The NBA once again had an entertaining slate of games throughout Martin Luther King Day, taking time to honor Dr. King in each game. In a time when racial tensions are on the rise and bigotry gets used as a successful tool to win a presidential election, the NBA shines its light across the globe spreading a message of love, peace, and acceptance for all groups of people regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation.

To quote the vocal group Take 6, “What the world needs now is love, more love is what we need.” That very optimistic message is exactly what Martin Luther King Jr. fought for and it’s a message that we need to continue to fight for today. We cannot get complacent and assume that it’s a message that will win out. We need to continue to make our voices heard and continue to be activists for peace like Martin Luther King Jr. was. Only then will we be truly honoring and remembering him.

What the NBA does that is so good is they keep the focus on Martin Luther King Jr. throughout the day. It’s a day when they remind us that there is so more to life than just basketball, using their very best players to speak out and set an example for the rest of us. When guys like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Russell Westbrook speak out, people listen. Their words carry weight in ways that politicians or even religious leaders don’t. People look up to their favorite athletes and respect them because of the sacrifices that they make to reach the pinnacle of their craft. As such, these athletes have a great responsibility to lead out and set an example for the rest of us to follow. 

                                         (Credit: YouTube. Click here for video)

As far as Martin Luther King Jr. is concerned, there are few people to walk the face of the earth who have had left a more permanent imprint on society. He stood up for love, racial equality, and peace in a time when having such views would ultimately get him killed. Dr. King didn’t worry about what would happen to him because he knew that what he was fighting for was much bigger than him. He had a dream and he wanted to share it with all of us.

It is our responsibility to make sure that Martin Luther King’s dream never dies. We must do all we can to make sure his dream lives on and ultimately comes true. We aren’t there yet, but I am optimistic that we eventually will get there. We just need to continue to not remain silent in the face of racism, hatred, and bigotry. When we hear someone say anything that is racist, hateful, or bigoted, we need to stand up and tell them those views aren’t ok. Some will tell us to “see the other side”, but if the “other side” promotes hatred, racism, and bigotry, we don’t need to go there with them and try to rationalize their hateful views of humanity. So long as we stand firm in our values that promote love, respect, and equality, Dr. King’s dream will continue to burn brightly and remain a source of hope in even the darkest of times.

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