|
Summarized by Kent Larsen
LDS Woman Writes About 'The King Martin Luther King Followed'
Los Angeles Times pg10 15Jan00 A2
By Kathleen Lubeck Peterson
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA -- LDS church member Kathleen Lubeck Peterson
has written another personal essay for the Los Angeles Times, this
detailing some of her feelings about the Reverend Martin Luther King.
Peterson's essays have appeared periodically in the Times.
In this essay, Peterson expresses admiration for the civil rights
leader, pointing out in the process that King followed the Savior's
teachings in his efforts to win civil rights.
"In 1963, King asked protesters demonstrating against segregated eating
facilities in Birmingham, Ala., to sign a pledge. It included
meditating daily on the teachings and life of Jesus, walking and talking
in the manner of love, praying daily, being courteous to both
friend and foe, performing regular service for others and the world,
refraining from violence of fist, tongue or heart, and striving to be in
good spiritual and physical health," wrote Peterson. "I'd like to take
the pledge."
Peterson also emphasized that what Martin Luther King Jr. did is
something that everyone can and should do. She says one of King's
schoolmates, Charles Willie, cautioned admirers from idolizing King "If
they did, he said, they might not realize that they could 'go and do
likewise.'"
Peterson continues, noting "there are those today who go and do
likewise--good, pure- hearted people who follow the same king whom King
followed. It's just that sometimes they can't be heard through the
sounding brass, the tinkling of cymbals. It's a noisy world."
|
