Martin Luther King Jr. Monument

Since 1986, the U.S. federal government has observed a national holiday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr., the civil rights activist whose nonviolent message and words of hope helped to create a vision for a future of racial equality. Martin Luther King Jr. also advocated for social change and justice, and a great number of people list him among their heroes. In 2011, the Martin Luther King Memorial monument was erected on the Washington National Mall.

Since their establishment, some have wondered: does a holiday or a monument honor King’s legacy, or undermine his message by normalizing it? And just how do people identify heroes?

 A study in heroes

If you are asked to name your hero, you are likely to name not a person who exemplifies heroism, but an idol, according to recent studies done by Professor Scott Allison of the University of Richmond. The question evokes a personal preference – wish fulfillment. When people are asked to name some heroes, removing the personal element, some of the top three are Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr., three visionaries who advocated nonviolent social change.

Peter A. Georgescu, writing in Huffington Post in a January 6, 2013 article “Heroes Aren’t Just Idols,” discussed Allison’s work, writing, “In my view, an idol can inspire you to do something exceptional or creative, yet a hero can teach what it means to choose the good through self-sacrifice…. what really counts is how a hero’s example of selflessness becomes an enduring model for a way of life, to many other people.”

Allison lists eight traits that heroes have, called “the Great Eight,” which include:

• Smart
• Resilient
• Charismatic
• Selfless
• Inspiring

An interesting point of Allison’s studies are that some of these character traits are found equally in villains or criminals – only heroes, however, are selfless and inspiring.

The need for social change

Recognizing those selfless and inspiring qualities heroes represent is one thing; emulating them is another. Also writing for the Huffington Post, Father Paul Mayer complained that by honoring King’s life and message with a holiday and a memorial, people have given themselves an excuse to ignore the call to action King preached. In his January 14, 2013 article, “A New Climate Vision on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday,” Mayer described how King also criticized America’s four great dangers: “racism, poverty, militarism and materialism.” Mayer went on to say, “In fact, King’s analysis of our society offers one of the toughest critiques of capitalism, the military-industrial complex and the unequal distribution of our wealth between the 99 percent and the 1 percent.”

Rather than merely paying lip service to King’s message, some groups are working to imitate King’s focus on the moral issues of the day. According to Mayer, the Interfaith Moral Action on Climate group observed Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday by hosting a “Pray-in for the Climate” outside the White House. The group includes Buddhists, Evangelical Christians, Catholics, Moslems, Jews and Hindus, among others. As Mayer explained, “They have concluded that, were he still alive today, he would join them in declaring that climate change is one of the greatest moral issues of our time.”

Other groups focus on King’s call to serve others. The Corporation for National and Community Service, along with the federal government, has emphasized that Martin Luther King Jr. Day is not a day off, but a day on — a day to volunteer and help others. The 2012 volunteer turn out for the Annual Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service topped 100,000 on 1,500 projects. Smaller groups, such as college sororities or student organizations, also use the holiday to promote volunteerism in their communities.

Touched by a monument

While Mayer says that monuments and holidays allow individuals to “receive a dispensation” from the real work of making King’s vision a reality, others have been greatly touched and inspired by those concrete memorials. In a January 16, 2012 article in the Florida Times Union, “Martin Luther King Jr. Day; A Monumental Experience,” a reporter recorded the thoughts and feelings of people who had been to see the monument on the National Mall.

For some, the monument remains a call to action. As Anita Shepherd wrote, “I found myself choked with emotions and humbled at the opportunity to share in the experience and the moment with its historical significance. America selected its first black president and built the first memorial to a person of color on the National Mall. The collective pride of the people in their accomplishment and their leaders was marked with respect. I am a stronger and better person for the service of my country and reminded of the greatness and power of our collective actions.”

For more information on social justice, visit Questia’s topic page on human and civil rights.

Human Rights for the 21st Century

Historically, the topic of human rights has been a global issue within various societies, but as time has passed, the morality of the issue has been brought to the forefront. In the 21^st century, particularly since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the international debate has intensified with a global spotlight focusing on issues such as oppressive governments and civil wars. With the international system increasingly considering intervention in countries where humanitarian concerns have been raised, it is important for countries such as the United States to keep in mind that the ultimate goal is to improve human rights. [Stacy, Helen M. Human Rights for the 21^st Century: Sovereignty, Civil Society, Culture.StanfordUniversity Press: 2009]

Fighting for Human Rights

There have been many groups throughout history that have revolted against civil society as a result of oppressed human rights, ultimately acting as the catalyst central to the campaign for social change. From overthrowing communist regimes in Eastern Europe to the current political arena with debates surrounding the future of globalization and global politics, the ever-changing definitions and ambiguity regarding human rights will forever keep it a hot-button issue. [Gready, Paul.  Fighting for Human Rights.  Routledge: 2004]

The Globalization of Human Rights

Throughout history, global human rights have evolved, with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) serving as the modern-day cornerstone for future standards of achievement. However since it is an all-encompassing topic with varying levels of civil, political, social and economic rights, standards will vary from country to country. Despite the progress human rights has made as a whole, especially over the past 50 years, social order is still the prime factor that affects how rights transcend within the human race. [Coicaud, Jean-Marc, et al.  The Globalization of Human Rights. UnitedNationsUniversity Press: 2003]

Human Rights in the European Court

The European Court of Human rights which has adopted an American-style body of constitutional law, serves as a regulator that routinely confronts nations over their most culturally sensitive hot-button issues. From France’s Muslim immigration issues to Turkey’s Kurdish separatism, the court has boasted an impressive record of political courage and achievement. [Goldhaber, Michael D.  A People’s History of the European Court of Human Rights. RutgersUniversity Press: 2007]

Humanitarian Intervention

A recent development in human rights history is the age of interventionism, or the willingness to use force in the name of humanitarian values. As a result of actions such as NATO’s response to the Kosovo crisis to the Security Council’s authorized use of force in East Timor, issues about the legality and morality of human intervention has dominated the international legal and political agenda. Especially within mainstream international law and international relations circles, the notion that force can be legitimately be used as a response to humanitarian challenges has received increased support. [Orford, Anne.  Reading Humanitarian Intervention:  Human Rights and the Use of Force in International Law. CambridgeUniversity Press: 2003]

Visit Questia’s topic page on human rights for more information. If not already a member, you can try Questia free for one day and conduct research into human rights issues in our books and journals.