Two Thoughts For The Holiday

Today is a national holiday in the United States which commemorates the life of civil rights leader (Martin Luther King, Jr.)  who sought to bring “equality under law” to all citizens of our country.  One of the ways he sought to do this was by bringing dignity and equality to ALL work – not just for the well educated or the well paid – but for all who work their best and make our nation a better society for it.  The pursuit of excellence (“doing your best”) in any endeavor uplifts us all.  The following are two quotes expressing this idea:
All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.
—     Martin Luther King, Jr.
If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry.  He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.
—     Martin Luther King, Jr.
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On This Day In:
2022	What Do You See?
2021	Lite It Up
	Some Day
2020	No Answers Yet
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2019	Stationary Target
2018	And Firmly
2017	Nearer My Goal To Thee
2016	Relatively Simple Actions
2015	And Yet, You Did
2014	Difficult Learning
2013	Four Things To do
2012	When I Was Young…
	Emergence

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Eye On The Prize

We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.
—   Martin Luther King, Jr.
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On This Day In:
2021	Eye On The Prize
	Everything That’s Precious
2020	And Most Adults Don’t Either
	And It Burns, Burns, Burns
	Just Dessert
2019	Happy Thanksgiving (2019)
2018	And Smiles…
2017	Or Savor A Little Longer…
2016	Sometimes I Just Want To Smell The Flowers
2015	One Truth – Done Well
2014	Now In Imagination, On The Other Hand…
2013	No Plan, No Map
2012	Singing About Love
2011	The Awesome Power Of Truth

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The Chain Must Be Broken

Darkness cannot drive out darkness;  only light can do that.  Hate cannot drive out hate;  only love can do that.  Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction…  The chain reaction of evil — hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars — must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation.
—    Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
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On This Day In:
2019	Love Like This…
2018	Open Hearts Find Strength
	Day 32: Planning The Future
2017	Thinking Out Loud
2016	Fighting Change
2015	Get Change
2014	Trapped (Again)
2013	Someone Else Believes
2012	The Practical Value of Science
2011	Seize Gladly The Difficult Task
	A Constitutional Conversation
2010	The Fierce Urgency Of Now…

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A Profound Source

Science is not only compatible with spirituality;  it is a profound source of spirituality.  When we recognize our place in an immensity of light‐years and in the passage of ages, when we grasp the intricacy, beauty, and subtlety of life, then that soaring feeling, that sense of elation and humility combined, is surely spiritual.  So are our emotions in the presence of great art or music or literature, or acts of exemplary selfless courage such as those of Mohandas Gandhi or Martin Luther King, Jr.  The notion that science and spirituality are somehow mutually exclusive does a disservice to both.
―    Carl Sagan
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On This Day In:
2022	Choose Possible
2021	Thousands
	Where Did All The Blue Skies Go?
2020	A Profound Source
2019	Sad Words
2018	Self-Sorted
2017	Right
2016	At Least One Step
2015	Month To Month Rental
2014	Professional Beliefs
2013	Books Are…
2012	True Distinguishing Marks
2010	Sub-300

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Senate Republicans: Impeachment – Because It Is Right!

Cowardice asks the question – is it safe?  Expediency asks the question – is it politic?  Vanity asks the question – is it popular?  But conscience asks the question – is it right?  And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular;  but one must take it because it is right.
—    Martin Luther King, Jr.
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On This Day In:
2021	Well Within Our Power
	Hammer Time
2020	3 November Is Coming!
	Bee Gees’ing
2019	Senate Republicans: Impeachment – Because It Is Right!
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	Mixing Business And Pleasure
2018	Intensity Doesn’t Make It Correct
	HF2: 1940’s Grapes
2017	Proof Sits In The Oval Office
2016	Tragic Determinism
2015	Maybe It Should Be Clearer
2014	Make It Your Strength
2013	Four Score
2012	The Ruler
2011	Forever
2010	Just Cuz
	How Do You Mend A Broken Heart?
	It’s Alive!! (3rd Pair Shoe Review)

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Speak Up / Call Out

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.
—    Martin Luther King Jr.
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On This Day In:
2018	Does Smiling Count?
2017	Giving Much
2016	Sounds Like Class
2015	Inert Ideas
2014	Worth Anything?
2013	Bruises Before Bed (Or Why You Didn’t Answer)
	Revealed Riches
2012	Extra Gears
2011	Say What?
2010	Hello Frogs…

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Prepare For The 2020 Election

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
—    Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
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On This Day In:
2018	Why #45 Is Uncivil And Sinking
	Ole! … Ole, Ole, Ole
	Is This Still The United States Of America?
2017	Go Where?
2016	Returning To The Same Box
2015	The Hunter’s Music
2014	Dedication
2013	Unhappy Alternatives
2012	Implications
2011	Never Let Us Down

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Today’s Question

Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’
―    Martin Luther King, Jr.
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On This Day In:
2018	A Moment Of Union
2016	Symptoms
2016	Tossers
2015	Hunger
2014	Outside Dependence
2013	Doing Right
2012	A Short Course In Human Relations
	If Death Be My Future
	Strive
	Such A Fool
2011	I’m Working For A Living

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And Unlawful Orders From A President

One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.
―    Martin Luther King Jr.
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On This Day In:
2018	Instinct For Presence
2017	Hard Enough
2016	Jumps
2015	One View Of Failure
2014	We Speak For Earth
2013	Inward Urgency
2012	Delayed Reviews
	Fulfilling My Duty
2011	Interference

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Except Willful Ignorance And Prideful Stupidity

Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
—    Martin Luther King, Jr.
[On this national holiday (MLK, Jr Day), let us (as a nation) strive to go forward being less dangerous…   —   kmab]
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On This Day In:
2022	End The Filibuster
2021	Be Creative, Question Assumptions
	By No Means
2020	I’ll Eat To That (Gemütlichkeit)
	To The Front
2019	#ContinueToResist
	Except Willful Ignorance And Prideful Stupidity
2018	More Executive Time For #DumbDonald
2017	Watched The Inauguration
	Two Geniuses
2016	Come Dance And Laugh With Me
2015	Looks Good To Me
2014	Desire For The Sea
2013	The Fierce Urgency Of NOW
	Happy Inauguration Day!
2012	One Path
	Sorrow And Joy
	The Seven Year View
2011	Emergent Practicality

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Too Significant

Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.
―    Mahatma Gandhi
No work is insignificant.  All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.
―    Martin Luther King Jr.
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On This Day In:
2021	Why I Play The Lottery
	C’mon And Dream Along
2020	#45 In A Nutshell
	Old Man Wishin’…
2019	Three Down, Three To Go
2018	Too Significant
2017	Shadows
2016	Still Blurry
2015	For Awhile Anyway
2014	By Contrast
2013	A Very Long Time…
2012	Raise And Support
2011	Naturally
2010	A Quick Sunday Morning Read
	Giants Win Game 4 In Shutout 4 to 0!!!

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Light Or Darkness

Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.
―   Martin Luther King Jr.
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On This Day In:
2022	Living In The Big Lie With A Loser
2021	An Obligation To Condemn Is Not An Obligation To Ban
	Caught In The Rain
2020	Me Too
2019	#45: Whitewalkers Tremble, Treason Is Forever
2018	Light Or Darkness
2017	Doubtful Education
2016	Absolute
2015	Still The Best Teacher
2014	Inside The Soul
2013	A Toe In The River
2012	Believe It Or Not
2011	The Road To Recovery (And More Myths)

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Release, Harmonize, Illuminate

Hatred paralyzes life;  love releases it.  Hatred confuses life;  love harmonizes it.  Hatred darkens life;  love illuminates it.
―    Martin Luther King Jr.
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On This Day In:
2021	Unnoticed Perfection
	You Just Don’t Realize
2020	Maybe After A Couple Of Hundred Years I Think About It
	Worth The Time I’ve Waited
2019	Courage Facing Temptation
2018	I Can’t Laugh At #45
2017	Release, Harmonize, Illuminate
2016	One Trouble With Television
2015	I Am Lucky And I Am Grateful
2014	Future Envy
2013	We Do Not Want To Learn That
2012	Social Inhibition
2011	Studying Chinese Food
	Are You Bored, Too?
2010	Rant, Pant, Deep Breath – Reality

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Never Forget

Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal.
―      Martin Luther King, Jr.
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On This Day In:
2021	Current Heroes (II)
	Glued To The TV – 3,000 Miles Away
2020	Current Heroes
	I’m Mid-West Born, But California Raised
	Appropriated To Her Being
2019	All In Good Time
	Day 13: Pause & Resume
	Ghrelin And Leptin
2018	Gratitude And Warmth
	Remembering Loss, Sacrifice And Service
	Making Little Ones Out Of Bigger Ones
2017	Never Forget
2016	It’s All Greek To Me (Well, Latin Actually)
2015	Truism
2014	Thank You
2013	Really
2012	Ordinary Five Minutes Longer
2011	The Wealth Of Sons (And Daughters)

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Redemptive Power

Now there is a final reason I think that Jesus says, “Love your enemies.”  It is this:  that love has within it a redemptive power.  And there is a power there that eventually transforms individuals.  Just keep being friendly to that person.  Just keep loving them, and they can’t stand it too long.  Oh, they react in many ways in the beginning.  They react with guilt feelings, and sometimes they’ll hate you a little more at that transition period, but just keep loving them.  And by the power of your love they will break down under the load.  That’s love, you see.  It is redemptive, and this is why Jesus says love.  There’s something about love that builds up and is creative.  There is something about hate that tears down and is destructive.  So love your enemies.
―     Martin Luther King Jr.
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On This Day In:
2016	On Calls To Renew Waterboarding / Torture
2015	Still Struggling
2014	How To Become A Saint
2013	Not Much Change
	Our Biggest Fear
2012	Brain, n.
2011	Styles Of Leadership
2010	Face Front!

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