The Observer, January 26, 2007
Volume XXXIX, Issue 14
MLK day at Case a learning experience
Since grade school, there have always been one or two holidays to look forward to during the school year. Those are the miraculous days off in which we are given a break from classes and some relaxation time. And although not all of these wondrous freedom days have been translated into the collegiate calendar, Martin Luther King Day is one that Case observes.
This year, Martin Luther King Day was the Monday before spring semester started. However, my traditional MLK Day activities–lounging around in comfy clothes and just taking some downtime–were not observed. Instead, I participated in Case's Second Annual Martin Luther King Day Retreat, and for the first time I truly wondered why we are gifted with this vacation day every January.
Now I grew up learning basic facts about what Martin Luther King Jr. did and why he was important to our history. However, as my education continued, the school's curriculum did not revisit King's message, until this retreat.
We started with what appeared to be icebreakers, but turned into an interesting exercise of our morals. Would you tell a cashier that they gave you 20 more dollars in change than they were supposed to? Would you stand up to a friend if they made a socially offensive comment? What would you do if you caught your friend cheating in a class?
Yes, the exercise might sound cheesy, but it was effective. We were now defending our beliefs, opening ourselves up for challenging views and beginning to grow. After our initial activity, we then talked about King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail."
The main issue we discussed was King's view of justice and equality. According to King, "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Working with this piece of wisdom, we began to not only apply King's view to what we see on the news but also what we see right here at Case.
How often do we just let things slide? How often do we turn a blind eye to what we innately know is wrong? We have all done this and we all know that it's wrong. But how can we change a very stubborn world?
It is not an issue to be solved by a magic wand, and even at the end of the retreat I did not know the answer myself. But I do know that we can try to make Case a better and more just place. To do so I have a challenge for everyone: treat everyone around you the way that you want to be treated.
King led a nation to change by setting an example of passive resistance for the Civil Rights Movement, showing how we can change the world by treating those around us with respect and fairness. If we all try to work toward King's dream, then next year we might be seeing our peers, Case, and ourselves in a different way.
Davis is a first–year student and has yet to decide on a major. She is a member of the Spartan Tappers and the Case Camerata Orchestra and enjoys writing, reading, watching movies, and good debates.
