Analysis into the Ramifications That Dr Martin Luther King Could Portend - Research Paper Example

Section/# Becoming a Historical Figure: An Analysis into the Ramifications that Being Like, or Indeed Becoming, Dr. Martin Luther King Could Portend When one is faced with the question of what historical figure they would like to be, a relevant issue that must be considered is what ultimate ethic (s), good, or change that the individual most respects and wishes to see exhibited more throughout the world. In seeking to answer this particular question, it is the view of this author that Martin Luther King Junior represents one of the most positive and transformative individuals to have lived within the past several decades. Whereas a litany of different military figures could have been chosen to have provided definitive changes to the world as we know it, whereas philosophers and writers have been able to impact upon the way in which individuals view certain issues, whereas songwriters and popular culture icons have been able to integrate with the emotions and affections of entire generations, it is the belief of this author that the change which was revoked by Martin Luther King is of much greater importance and long-lasting impact than what a single military commander, philosopher, pop-culture icon, or any other individual within past society has been able to offer. As a function of attempting to prove this point to the reader, the following analysis will be concentric upon providing many of the accomplishments that Martin Luther King realized during his life and draw a clear level of comparison with respect to the fact that these accomplishments, taken as a whole, stood apart from the rest of the individuals during his time, and indeed sense, and represented individual whose strength and perseverance are not only admirable but something which should be desired within the current time. Firstly, it should be stated that few if any individuals in the modern world are able to attain a level of education or expertise at such a young age as did Martin Luther King Junior. For instance, Martin Luther King Jr. became an ordained Baptist minister at the age of 18. Whereas it is true that certain individuals within the modern world are able to accrue a great deal of education and expertise at a relatively young age, Martin Luther King was not only able to become an ordained clergyman within his community, he was also the youngest person ever to receive and Nobel Peace Prize for his work in seeking to end racial segregation (Hinds 469). As can readily be noted, the ability to dedicate himself to his studies and to the cause in question allowed for Martin Luther King to be an admirable character that this student seeks to look up to. Yet, one of the largest reasons for why Martin Luther King Jr. is a historical figure that I would like to be is due to the fact that he struggled tirelessly and fearlessly for the rights of his fellow man. Whereas many individuals during the time period were caught up in returning hatred for hatred, Martin Luther King Jr. was focused upon using nonviolent methods and leading a peaceful civil rights that would channel the same approach that Thoreau and Gandhi had used to such great effect (King 33). Whereas it might have been easy to fall victim to the desire for seeking revenge and demanding a level of immediate and violent revolution on the part of the disenfranchised population of the United States, King was able to resist this temptation and take the higher path; aspects of character and virtue that are extraordinarily rare and extremely appealing to this individual author. Such as yet, King’s most notable achievement is not with regards to the fact that he was merely a participant in the nonviolent civil rights movement of the mid-20th century; rather, his most notable achievement is with respect to the fact that he led this civil rights movement and carefully and painstakingly sought the ways in which it could be promoted so that it could affect the greatest benefit towards the exhibition of civil rights within the United States. Naturally, King was fully aware of the fact that civil rights it was most severely inhibited within the southern states. Rather than seeking to engage the entire nation and a focus the discussion of civil rights, King instead realized that the most effective approach would be to focus upon the areas in the nation that exhibited the most repressive civil rights laws and had the greatest number of violations. However, this was most certainly not be easy way out. Rather, this was an inherently dangerous business that ultimately cost King his life. It should be noted that in seeking to define and promote an understanding of civil rights throughout the United States, and indeed the world for that matter, King was intimately aware of the inherent threat to his life that existed. However, rather than letting this deter him, King oftentimes groups workers denoting the fact that this threat to his life should not serve as a means of redirecting the energies that the civil rights movement must necessarily exert within the given time period. Accordingly, King continually represented a level of clear thinking, perseverance, heroism, and bravery that a few individuals throughout the world have ever been able to exhibit. As a direct result of this, leaders of important movements since Martin Luther King Jr. assassination have integrated with his understanding and means of approach; realizing that selflessness determination and dedication to one’s goal can oftentimes create a synergy through which the movement can experience a greater degree of growth that it would have ever experienced had the individual approach the issue through any other mechanism (Robinson 201). Ultimately, Martin Luther King’s career was cut short as a result of an assassins bullet. As so many within the movement had predicted and long feared, hate within the white community had been able to silence the voice of reason and honesty that existed within the milder elements of the black and white civil rights movement of the United States. However, rather than understanding this assassination to be something that would encourage the student not to be like Martin Luther King, this had ultimate sacrifice is in fact what encourages me to Revere and seek to be more like Dr. Martin Luther King each and every day. The ultimate rationale for this is that King lived a life that was not constrained by fear and was ultimately guided by the need for sacrifice and bravery in the face of seemingly endless hate and derision on the part of many individuals within society. As such, leading a life that is not constrained by fear and not cognizant of the worries of personal harm in the face of honesty and truth is perhaps the most powerful and impactful action that Dr. Martin Luther King was able to engage (Patel 274). Whereas it is true that the civil rights movement is still ongoing and that a great level of disparity continues to exist between elements within the United States and throughout the rest of the world for that matter, integrating with the concept of self-determination and freedom, as defined by the founding documents of this nation, and by Dr. King, is something that cannot be understated. Rather than seeking to promote oneself in the interests of accruing a level of wealth or prestige, following in the footsteps of an individual such as Dr. Martin Luther King has a far more profound impact and can benefit the ultimate lives of not only a small community but indeed a larger demographic (Godwin 27). From the information that is thus far been presented, the reader can and should come away with one resounding understanding; namely, the fact that seeking to channel the energies of Dr. Martin Luther King within one’s own life has a drastically positive benefit to not only the individual practitioner but also the society at large. Although it is impossible to be any one specific historical figure, it is possible to utilize the tools and strengths of these historical figures as a means of providing change and benefit not only to oneself but to the outside world. Such a selfless attitude and desire to benefit the lives of others, regardless of the personal cost that it may engender, is something that is sorely lacking in the current world. As more and more individuals throughout the community are focused solely upon accruing well and deriving a level of personal benefit, the actions and desires of individuals such as Martin Luther King Jr. have largely gone extinct. Whereas it is true that the Civil Rights movement is still ongoing, many of the individuals now associated with it are merely engaging with it as a means of self promotion or the accrual of personal wealth. With the ability to become Dr. Martin Luther King, or at the very least – someone like him, this author would be able to redefine the movement and seek to place it back on the track that it should have remained on from the very beginning. Works Cited Godwin, Jeffrey L., et al. "Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'S "I Have A Dream" Speech As A Tool For Teaching Transformational Leadership And Vision." Journal Of Organizational Behavior Education 4.(2011): 23-41. Business Source Complete. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. Hinds, Jay-Paul. "The Prophet's Wish: A Freudian Interpretation Of Martin Luther King's Dream." Pastoral Psychology 61.4 (2012): 467-484. Academic Search Complete. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. King, Carol Soucek. "Commitment, Consistency, And A Strong Sense Of Justice: A Personal Memory Of Marching With Martin Luther King." Business Renaissance Quarterly 6.4 (2011): 31-40. Business Source Complete. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. Patel, Eboo. "Martin Luther King Jr. And The Light Of Other Faiths." Cross Currents 63.3 (2013): 270-275. Academic Search Complete. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. Robinson, Jill L., and Danielle Topping. "The Rhetoric Of Power: A Comparison Of Hitler And Martin Luther King Jr." Journal Of Management Inquiry 22.2 (2013): 194-210. Business Source Complete. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. Worthington, Bruce. "Martin Luther King Jr. As Identificatory Conglomerate." Black Theology: An International Journal 11.2 (2013): 219-239. Academic Search Complete. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. Read More