April 4th Anniversarys

Today, April 4, 2008, marks the 40th Anniversary of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I have previously blogged that Dr. King is one of America's true heroes and his words are an inspiration to me and millions of others. Everyone should take a moment, not just today but everyday, to reflect on Dr. Kings messages, such as "An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity." Also one of my personal favorites for obvious reasons, "When you are right you cannot be too radical; when you are wrong, you cannot be too conservative."

Ironically, today is also the 50th Anniversary of the Peace Symbol. The symbol was first introduced in England on April 4, 1958 at a nuclear disarmament march. The symbol quickly spread throughout the world with the turbulent 1960's. As we look to the leaders of the future, we must choose ones that consider the messages of peace, equality, and nonviolence the most important issues facing our country and our world. "A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus." -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr