Martin Luther King’s birthday was shared in part by a controversy: Miss Lebanon had her picture taken with Miss Israel at the Miss Universe pageant in Miami. This caused outrage to some. Meanwhile, McDonald’s is running a new commercial series of “Arch Enemies” – Dorothy and the Wicked Witch, Wiley Coyote and Road Runner, Batman and the Joker, even a Green Bay Packer fan and a Chicago Bear fan – who all become reconciled and share some fast food, while a song “Love is endless” plays on. Those “enemies” found something they had in common, and the barriers came down.
We know the Code says, “I will respect the dignity of every human being…” and yet in all of our hearts lurks one form or another of prejudice. The challenge is not just to respect the dignity of another, or to tolerate those who are different, it is to come to see and appreciate what it is that the other person has that will enrich my life. That takes more than tolerance; it takes a willingness to be open to the possibility that my life can be changed and enriched by those who are different, whether it be because of race, nationality, religion or age. Can you open yourself today in a new way to a person who is different, and seek to know them, so that your own life may be enriched? It’s one way to grow, to make the world a better place, and to honor Dr. King.
