I don't claim to be an historian, nor an expert on the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. However, I do know enough about MLK to know what he stood for: FREEDOM. That word gets thrown around a lot, but I think it has really been taken for granted. Living in the 21st century, many believe we are more free now than ever before in history. I could not disagree more. I will say, however, that we have the most POTENTIAL to be free than any other generation.
The Internet has allowed anyone to put anything on display for anyone else to view. Some things are considered good, others considered bad; some considered patriotic, some considered threatening. That ANYTHING can be posted is crucial to the idea of freedom. No one is forced to read or watch something they do not want to read or watch, but they have the option. No one is forced to post only a certain opinion or idea, one can post anything they believe, whether it's true, false, right, wrong, Westside, linear progression, etc...
In terms of strength, fitness, and health, the Internet is vital. Anyone who has done any kind of research probably is not following the government's "MyPyramid" guidelines. Why? Because it usually isn't the most effective or efficient way to eat. And yet, the government insists on spending money it doesn't have to tell you and me how we ought to be eating. Without the Internet, magazines, DVDs, etc..., we might all be eating 6-11 servings of grains each day (they've now changed this, but the lunacy remains).
Let's bring it back to MLK for a second. He fought for equal protection and treatment under the law. He fought for freedom and liberty, the two cornerstones of this great nation. Let us not allow his incredible work to go unappreciated by letting our ideas and our opinions and our thoughts be trampled by a government that has proven time and again that it does not know what is best for its citizens and that clearly does not have its citizens' best interests in mind. So, please research the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and make your voice heard. "Net neutrality" is vital to all people, especially to those in the strength, fitness, health, and wellness fields. The government has been telling us that saturated fat is killing us (it's not), so we need to have a voice that allows people to engage in their freedom and figure out for themselves what is best for them.
Shifting gears a bit, one thing that has always stood out to me about Dr. King was his undeniable courage. Unlike many freedom fighters, he was not scared off by the idea of failure or the threat of physical violence. He was steadfast in his belief that what he was doing was right and that it absolutely had to be done. We live in a culture today where a person can easily say, "someone else will come along and do something so I won't worry." I don't know if that is laziness, fear, or a mix of both, but it needs to end. Each of us needs to be our own leader and have the courage to stand up for any and all things we believe in. Be heard, even if no one wants to listen, even if people say you're crazy. You can apply this to anything in your life. If you have an opinion, voice it. That's what our country was founded on, and that's exactly what Dr. King did tirelessly. Happy MLK Day.
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