Saturday, January 16, 2010

Martin Luther King Jr. on Consistency in Justice

I thought it would be appropriate to post this Facebook response I was inspired to write in response to the idea of happiness and freedom. It began with a quote from Corette Scott King:


"I still hear people say that I should not be talking about the rights of lesbian and gay people... But I hasten to remind them that Martin Luther King Jr. said, 'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.' I appeal to everyone who believes in Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream to make room at the table of broth...er- and sisterhood for lesbian and gay people." -- Coretta Scott King


Well, I would say that Coretta King's quote speaks more to the moral correctness and consistency with Justice than it does about happiness. There will always be dissatisfaction in some part of the population with any decision (Heraclitus theory of flux and opposites).....that said, we should focus on what is morally and objectively consistent. But as far as I am concerned, the religious dissatisfaction of those who discriminate based on sexual orientation, is less important than the civil (and human) equalities that are at stake here. Our civil laws are not based on religious ideologies, but practical protections of the civil freedoms of all our citizens.

As the good Dr. said, 'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.'....IMHO, we have to be consistent in our Constitutional values as a Nation for true happiness to exist for all of us.