MLK Day

We get today off for the "observed" birthday of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. His 80th birthday would have been the 15th. Yesterday, my daily Bible reading was in Genesis chapter 37, the story of Joseph. There is a quote from that story which is incribed on a plaque at the site of Dr. King's assassination at the Lorraine Motel, in Memphis (now the National Civil Rights Museum). It's where Joseph's brothers are planning to kill him. They said "Here cometh that dreamer. Let us slay him..., and we shall see what will become of his dreams." (Gen 37:19-20)

I'm a big fan of Dr. King. Of course, he was not a perfect man, and some of his personal failings have been well-documented. But he is one of the genuine heroes of modern American history. It is serendipitous that this week in class my students will be studying the Civil Rights Movement. How nice that it comes in a week in which we've seen Dr. King's birthday, as well as the inauguration of our first black president. What will become of his dreams, indeed!