Today is the observation day for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s
birthday. I was honored to speak at the Hardeman County Branch of the NAACP’s
service. The theme of the day was “Making the Dream a Reality”. The opportunity
was presented to me because of the work my mother, Lois Bernice Miller, did in
the community during the Civil Rights Movement.
Just before we were leaving that day, I heard a fellow on
television say something to the effect that “Leaders do not cause movements,
movements create leaders.” This was profound for me because many of the leaders
we point to today were not out there just looking for something to do. They saw
an issue and wanted to fix it. Bring it into the light. Assist others in seeing
their potential.
I found myself saying as I was talking, “Something has
happened to me.” I had never thought of this in its totality before this moment.
It was not as palatable to me as it was at the moment I said it. It really
unnerved me. I realized that I had been sitting on my behind and allowing
others to speak for me without the benefit of knowing what I thought or was
thinking. Isn’t that crazy?
To allow people to speak on your behalf and they do not have
the benefit of your knowledge, although limited, of the events they are
speaking about. At that moment I decided to begin to speak out. My voice, just
as yours, deserves to be heard.
Does my voice being heard mean I am right? NO! It means I
have found a means by which to share my voice with others. An intelligent
person will realize they do not know it all and will begin to seek out the
information needed to become more knowledgeable.
So just because you hear a voice that is speaking loudly it
does not mean that you cannot use your soft voice to get your point across. So
speak up. Your opinion matters. Just remember, not everyone will agree with
you. Not everyone will appreciate you voice. However, you keep on speaking. It
is a collective voice of many that can cause change.
Let us reason together. Let us come together as Americans
that want to live in a country where every voice can be heard no matter how
soft.
Speak!
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