The Greatest of All Canaries

A brave, visionary man, who
lived in a totally insane world.

Happy Martin Luther King Day!!!

Okay, roll the tape back to 1980. I was a sophomore in college and taking a psychology course. It was Black History Week at the college, and I couldn't figure out why our African-American instructor was making us watch all these movies for a solid week. I mean, what does this have to do with psychology?

But now when I think back, I really admire Mr. Hill. We were a class of naive white kids who had little idea what Civil Rights and the Black Struggle was all about. But Mr. Hill knew that, and he was patient with us. He just showed us the movies and made no comments.

And then came the image that was burned into my head for life. It was Birmingham, AL in 1963 and men, women, and children were wearing their Sunday best. Then came the fire hoses and police dogs. The sight of one protester getting washed away in his white shirt and tie, and the image of another protester with a German Shepherd hanging from his shirt sleeve are unforgettable. These were peaceful people demonstrating for the most humble causes — fairness and equality. And dignity.

Some people may take Dr. Martin Luther King for granted, but to me he is my greatest hero. He studied the works of Mahatma Gandhi and his writings and teachings were visionary. What I admire most about Dr. King is his courage — during his years in Montgomery, he continued his work knowing full well that he and his family were in extreme danger. He really, truly sacrificed his life for the principles he believed in.

What I respect most about Dr. King is his stand against the Vietnam War — it was a courageous thing to do. As a youngster, the history books taught me that Vietnam was a noble war to stop Communist aggression. But just recently I have realized that Vietnam was a war of poor people who were forced to travel 8,000 miles to fight more poor people, while the power brokers looked on. Vietnam was a class struggle and a civil war. Our country lied to us.

The recent statement of your executive committee are the sentiments of my own heart and I found myself in full accord when I read its opening lines: "A time comes when silence is betrayal." That time has come for us in relation to Vietnam.

— Dr. Martin Luther King, April 4, 1967, New York City

Some people point out that Dr. King was a womanizer and plagiarizer. This makes me admire him that much more. See, Dr. King was a flawed human, just like the rest of us. But he still made the world a MUCH better place despite his shortcomings.

Finally, this greatest of all Canaries was ahead of his time. In addition to his concerns about violence, inequality, and disharmony on the Planet, he also showed concern for perhaps the greatest of all issues facing our Planet — human overpopulation.


There is no human circumstance more tragic than the persisting existence of a harmful condition for which a remedy is readily available. Family planning, to relate population to world resources, is possible, practical and necessary. Unlike plagues of the dark ages or contemporary diseases we do not yet understand, the modern plague of overpopulation is soluble by means we have discovered and with resources we possess.

— Dr. Martin Luther King

I thank Dr. King for the light, enrichment, and vision he has added to my life. Most of all, I thank him for giving me hope. On this day, January 17, 2005, I pause to reflect, and I wish to humbly say, "thank you."