On January 15, we remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who brought civil rights to the forefront in the American society. What Dr. King displayed during his tenure in the civil rights movement was revolutionary for all people to consider. Yesterday, we remembered Dr. King as a human being, someone whose impact on society was so great, that we remember his legacy far beyond January 15.

Still to some, the civil rights movement today appears to only be a facet of the far left. However, the aura created by Dr. King should spread across all political, social and economic boundaries, affecting all who come in contact with his message, and the overall message of racial equality. Dr. King traveled the country spreading a message of nonviolence as a means of bringing about social justice, a method that is highly successful but sometimes becomes lost in the emotion of organized protests.

Although his appearances would sometimes induce riots – as he encouraged civil disobedience – King made attempts to quell protesters’ motivations with statements like “Violence as a way of achieving racial justice is both impractical and immoral . it destroys a community and makes brotherhood impossible.” But with the stigma of violent protests reaching far beyond the bounds of black America, anyone could benefit from learning about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

His words were timeless. “Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral question of our time; the need for mankind to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence. Mankind must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.”

In a society that has been overwhelmed by materialism, Hollywood and appearance, it is important that we look back to what is most important – equality – and take into consideration the words and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., remembering that we are all human beings, no matter our skin color.