But more basically, I am in Birmingham because injustice is here. Just as the prophets of the eighth century B.C. left their villages and carried their “thus saith the Lord” far beyond the boundaries of their home towns, and just as the Apostle Paul left his village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of the Greco Roman world, so am I compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own home town. Like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Letter from Birmingham Jail

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It really was true.  Wherever there was injustice, Dr. King raised his voice, and frequently, offered his physical presence.  (He was in Memphis over the unjust treatment of sanitation workers when he was killed).

It’s the 50th anniversary of this absolute masterpiece, the Letter from Birmingham Jail.  If you have not read it for a while, do yourself a favor, and read it sometime today.  And then ask:

where is there injustice in  my city, in my county, in my state?

Wherever you find injustice, show up if possible, and speak up for sure.

This may sound odd, but I thought of some lines from the slapstick comedy The Three Amigos:

Lucky Day: Wherever there is injustice, you will find us.
Ned Nederlander: Wherever there is suffering, we’ll be there.
Dusty Bottoms: Wherever liberty is threatened, you will find…
Lucky Day, Ned Nederlander, Dusty Bottoms: The Three Amigos!

You know, there are people who practice injustice knowingly, on purpose.  There are others who perpetuate injustice without even realizing it.  And there are those who see it, speak out against it, and work to end it. The question, always, is this:  will I be on the side of those seeking to end an injustice?

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An invitation/A personal note.  One way to work against injustice is to be better informed, educated.  CitySquare in Dallas hosts a twice monthly noon book club to do just this:  the Urban Engagement Book Club.  I present a book synopsis at each of these gatherings, followed by a group conversation.  Tomorrow, April 17, 21013, I am speaking on Illegal People: How Globalization Creates Migration and Criminalizes Immigrants by David Bacon.  Reading it was an education about the injustice against the poor in Mexico, among other points.  I suspect I will include a quote or two from Dr. King on this anniversary week of his Letter.

If you are in the Dallas area, come join us.  We meet on the 1^st and 3^rd Tuesdays each month – (1^st, by SMU, and 3^rd, downtown Dallas).  Click here for details.