It takes a paradigm shift...

I went to the King Memorial in downtown Atlanta when I was there for the Neuroscience Meeting one year ago. It was in a depressed part of town.... walking from the Metro stop to the memorial, I passed apartment buildings with boarded up windows and run-down cars on the street. Kind of fitting, as it was a reminder that there is still work to be done.

I was surprised, though, at the memorial. Listening to "I Have a Dream", and other speeches made by Dr. King... he was loud and the sounds were often harsh and grating. It was different from the "peaceful image" of Dr. King that I learned about during history class.... Instead, I heard powerful messages of.... "There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges." To be sure, Dr. King advocated nonviolent protests, but they were essentially a revolution against the establishment.

It reminded me of Katherine's theory... which I now believe. In order for change to occur, there needs to be one person who makes a huge difference. One person who will stand up and turn the world on its head. One person to cause a paradigm shift in the way people think. One person like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Like Christ. Like Rosa Parks. Like Lincoln. Like Susan B. Anthony. Like Nelson Mandela.

So, I think the lesson from today's holiday is to take a stand. Don't be content in life to say that "little things can make a difference". Take a radical stance to affect change where you see a need. Don't be quiet. Be proud and loud. Be a paradigm shifter.