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What does Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy mean to you?

By SN Rebecca Davila
Special Contributor

How does one answer this question? Some think it is an easy question, but ask yourself this and five it some thought. To some, his legacy means a day off to honor a man who stood for truth, justice and equality among people of all races. To others, his legacy means a chance to respect a man who helped shape the history of a great nation. As you take a moment to think what his legacy means to you, please allow me to share a little of what his legacy means to me.

His legacy to me means more than a day off or a parade with marching bands and banners. Dr. King's legacy means equality, courage, commitment and dedication. Allow me to expound, or as Webster defines it, "explain by setting fourth in careful and often elaborate detail." To put it in the famous words of the now departed Mr. James Brown, "let me get up and do my thing."

To me, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy first means equality. As history teaches us, he had pride not only of his race but the fact that he had a dream. A dream that all men were created equal. A dream we should not be judged by the color of our skin, but by the content of our character. His actions taught us that once we looked beyond the color of ones' skin and saw the character of the person, we were equal. The things that separate us from one another, once we remove the barrier of race, are character and pride. Both of which are characteristics found in all mankind.

Dr. King's legacy means courage and lets me know I can overcome any adversity as long as I have the willpower and determination to achieve what I set my mind, goals and dreams to do. It lets me know I can not be held back or turned down because of the color of my skin. His struggle, as well as that of many others who fought, sacrificed and died for a chance to sit at a public lunch counter, choose any seat available on public transportation and drink from a public water fountain of choice lets me know the issue of race can not withhold or limit anything from me.

Finally, his commitment and determination show and teach me that no matter what happens, you and I can achieve our dream and fulfill our destiny without regard to race, color, creed, sex, age, national origin or physical or mental capabilities. He was committed to the cause of civil rights for everyone. He dedicated his life's work to making sure everyone was entitled to the same education, with the same right to vote, choice of seating on the bus and the same right to be exactly what this country mandates in its doctrine; one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all!

Yes, Dr. King's legacy means a lot to me. It means everything I have told you and so much more. It means more than just a day off or a parade with floats, banners and marching bands. His legacy means there was a man here before me whose life was dedicated to ensuring justice and equality for everyone in this great nation. His legacy means there was a man before me who, even though had a family, wife and other deeds and tasks of everyday living, was still able to help show the world we were more than just indentured servants and/or domestic help.

He helped show everyone that regardless of the color of their skin, we are people. People that live, love, laugh, cry and celebrate the same. People who rejoice in birth and weep in mourning. We are people who share so much but who are afraid to do so because of what we see rather than who we see. Ask yourself, if we were able to remove the color from our skin, what would be our basis to judge each other? How would we be able to say "those" or "you people" or "that is how they are?"

Put yourself to the test. The next time you walk in a room, remove the color of the people you see and observe them for who they are and not what color they are. For those with young children and even those without, sit back, watch and observe them. Notice the only color they see is in their crayon box or, in today's society shall I say, on their computer's color chart.

They don't judge people until we teach them to. They choose their friends and bond quickly by the way they are treated until we teach them about race and ethnicity. For once, hear something from them other than a new shortcut on the X-box or PSP game system. Learn what it is like to not see color, but content and character.

Remember the words once said by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

This is what Dr. King's legacy means to me. Thank you and remember to continue his legacy by making this holiday a day on to remember what he and countless others fought to achieve, and not just a day off.