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Weekly UpdatesForty-five years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a riveting, inspiring, and chastening message to the nation in his "I Have a Dream" speech. He stood in the shadows of the Lincoln Memorial on the mall of the capital of the United States of America while a multitude gathered to hear a message of hope, challenge, prophecy, and--yes--condemnation. King raised concerns about our rich nation being pregnant with promise and possibilities and yet miscarrying on fulfillment of the same.
King charged that "....even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed--'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal'" (Speech in Washington, August 28, 1963). His resonant voice rose in a rhythmic cadence, charging that America had issued a "bad check" against its Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. He observed that the check had come back marked "insufficient funds" for its citizens of color. The impact of this powerful speech culminated in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a landmark piece of legislation that outlawed segregation in schools, public places, and employment. This eloquent speech was also a watershed event that ultimately contributed to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which ensured voting rights of African Americans.
Five years after his famous speech Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. His resonant voice was silenced by an assassin's rifle bullet in a city that was not on his original itinerary. So why did Dr. King feel compelled to visit Memphis on that day? This diversion from his planned visit to Washington, D.C. was not supported by his aides, yet he felt duty bound to take part in a protest staged by sanitation workers who were striking for better wages. Instead of attending the Poor People's Campaign in Washington, he felt his presence was needed in Memphis.
What prompted King to make this trip to Memphis is known only to him, but as a pastoral care leader in a major medical center, I have tried to answer this question by relying on my background as a minister and an academic. Indeed, theologically speaking, Dr. King heard the Macedonian call (Holy Bible, Acts 16:9) for help, and he dropped his own perceived priority to take on a morally emergent one, practicing what he preached in a speech he gave in June 1963 in Detroit. "I submit to you," he said "that if a man hasn't discovered something he will die for, he isn't fit to live."
Forty years after the death of Dr. King there is opportunity to reflect on needs, hopes, and resources of a global community through the prism of the Kingian message of hope. This message focuses on his concept of living in "the beloved community" as elaborated in his book, Stride Toward Freedom (1958). This term was first coined by Josiah Royce, a 20th century American philosopher and founder of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, but Dr. King popularized the term. To him the "beloved community" was one that encapsulated a global yearning for peace and reconciliation wrapped in justice and dignity for all. His understanding resonates with this Baptist pastor, and many others in the world, who have been influenced by his yearning for justice and belief in Mahatma Ghandi's concept of civil disobedience through nonviolence resistance.
All these years later, we are now in a unique position to consider questions about how the Kingian message of hope might impact on the work that is undertaken by researchers in 2008. Reflecting on Dr. King's message, we might pay more attention to how we undertake our research in relation to our environment and the betterment of humankind. For example, we might choose to discover how our interdependent world can become a better place by undertaking research that addresses significant human problems of hunger, disease, strife, and war. We might focus our attention on stewardship related to our dwindling natural resources and fragile ecosystems. We might also be more vigilant in our adherence to policies and procedures that are stipulated by our Institutional Review Board as it strives to ensure research is conducted with integrity and for the betterment of humankind.
In his book, Strength to Love (1963), King observed, "Our scientific power has overrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men." Researchers need to reflect on his words to determine if they still hold true for our present generation. We should be asking ourselves: Are we abusing our scientific prowess at the expense of spiritual realities? What are our spiritual realities as we go about doing research? Are guided missiles or other technological advantages more influential today in balancing global political power? Do we have more misguided men and women who are more inclined to do the expedient? Where are the present day morally courageous and ethically sensitive men and women who are poised to develop what Martin Luther King passionately spoke of as the "beloved community?"
In 2008 opportunity abounds for the research community to create an innovative path that points the way for all of humanity to tap into scientific advances leading to a higher quality of life for everyone, including the poor, dispossessed, and disenfranchised members of society. By including King's concept of the beloved community in the design and execution of our research, we will be better able to respond to the needs of those members who may not have access to the kinds of resources available to those of us who are more fortunate. We have a moral obligation to ensure that our research is conducted with respect, integrity, and ethics, and to consider the impact it might have on others during the research process and at the dissemination phase.
How can we in our roles as leaders, research administrators, and researchers capitalize on moral imperatives that reflect Kingian thought? Gary Yukl and Richard Lepsinger (2004) in their book, Flexible Leadership: Creating Value by Balancing Multiple Challenges and Choices, suggest that leaders are pivotal influencers at all levels of research and research management. As research administrators we can assume a leadership role when we create ethical guidelines and codes of conduct that reflect the teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr.
We can also influence the integrity of research that is being conducted and the impact that this cutting edge research can have on our own lives and those of others. We can think of ourselves as leaders who exercise sound judgment and provide congruent leadership that is reflective of a Kingian perspective through moral decision-making in our personal and professional lives.
Finally, 40 years later, we can continue to accept the challenge made by Dr. King to his generation when he asked, "What are you doing for others?" By taking a leadership role in our "beloved community," we can ensure that the kind of research we undertake and oversee is for the betterment of humankind, the environment, and future generations.
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Lorenzo York, MDiv, DMin
Director, Pastoral Care Department
National Naval Medical Center
Bethesda, Maryland
Email: Lorenzo.York@med.navy.mil
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