Opinion
 

Does today's society lack moral backbone?

By Donald LeGrand

Have we forgotten Martin Luther King Jr.'s message? One might look at how much America has changed since his time. Look at the laws enacted in support of equality. Look at the change in attitudes. Children may be taught different ideas about other people than 40 years ago, but attitudes have not changed as much as people would like to believe. Politically charged feelings do not change as easily as one might assume. People still choose to segregate themselves into racial groups. Even though prejudice may not take its previous appearance, it still exists. Years ago, the concerted acts of many individuals made the despicable treatment of blacks easily seen, thus unacceptable. 

The principles on which this nation is founded are among the highest ideals to be found. Yet who believes in ideas cited in the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence? King spoke of collecting on the debt implied in our nation's founding words. Yet he also stated the need for people to take action because time is not a solution for existing troubles.

Many told him to wait, but he contended the black community had waited in vain for 340 years. He was deeply disappointed in the conduct of the church, their silence and their desire to maintain the status quo when so many blacks had been wronged. They spoke up when King protested in the streets of Birmingham, applauding the Birmingham police for their decisive handling of the situation. 

King consciously meant to create a tension that would force issues to the negotiation table that had long been hidden under the rug. The protesters were trained in the way of non-violent resistance. They understood the stakes. They understood that they would put themselves in the harm's way. 

King clearly saw the universal principles at stake. Jesus spoke of love and was hung on the cross. Socrates spoke of the need to honestly examine one's beliefs and seek out the truth, and he was forced to drink hemlock. King also spoke of many other individuals in the Bible and how each stood for a higher principle. Each was willing to give their life for the just cause. In our current era, for what ideal would we give our lives? We talk of the sacrifices the settlers of America made in protesting the unjust British rule. British treated America as inferior and plundered the country. In our era is America guilty of plundering another country? 

Thomas Jefferson wrote, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, and that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights." Yet do we recognize that the core part of each individual that is equal to that of every other person? This part within us is by its very nature divine and sees clearly when an injustice is being committed. Yet how often do we ignore that nobler quality within ourselves and state, "I cannot fight the will of the majority?" Yet the will of the majority is unclear. An idea backed by the majority does not guarantee its truth. Our world requires individuals to be willing to stand up for the just cause so that the condition of the world may improve.

LeGrand, an editorial writer for The Daily Cougar, 
may be reached via dccampus@mail.uh.edu.