FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska - Members of the Fort Wainwright and Fairbanks community gathered together for the 2017 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Observance Jan. 12 at the Fort Wainwright Northern Lights Chapel.
Medical Department Activity-Alaska, along with the Fort Wainwright Equal Opportunity Office sponsored this year's observance, "Remember! Celebrate! Act! A day on, not a day off!"
During his remarks, guest speaker, Rev. Johnathan A. Kenney, honored the legacy of Dr. King as the driving force behind watershed events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the March on Washington, which helped bring about the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and he asked the audience to reflect on whether or not Dr. King's mission was worth it.
"Through the relentless efforts that Dr. King had to achieve, despite the arising hatred, despite the arising racial profiling, despite the arising killings, despite the arising blood and tears, despite the arising lives lost one may ask the question, 'Was it worth it?'"
Kenney went on to speak of uphill battle Dr. King faced and the feelings of doubt he must have faced.
"I'm sure there were times where he wanted to throw in the towel," Kenney said. "I am sure there was a time where he felt as if the injunctions that were on the horizon seemed unbearable, but his drive wasn't for self, but rather those he laid his life down for."
Kenney urged the audience members to see that through the difficult times, sleepless nights and time spent in jail, King's efforts were worth it.
"I would relay to you that indeed all this and more was worth it for you and I," Kenney said. "I thank God who for bringing us out of a place of darkness into bright light, I thank God for bringing from poverty to prosperity, I thank God for bringing us from oppression to possession of what was lost, I thank God for bringing us from being a victim to having victory and I thank God for bringing us from disgrace to Amazing Grace!"
Kenney reminded those in attendance that Dr. King's motive and agenda was always to bring about love and unity and that his words continue to echo today for us to never lose sight of what is right.
"Let us not just come to reflect on the dream, but let us cultivate new dreams, new visions, new assignments, so those to come after us would know yes it was worth it," he said.
Social Sharing