The photo image of Martin Luther King’s face takes up most of the visual field of the black and white ad that covers the bottom half of this Martin Luther King Day (21 Jan 08) Denver Post page. His hands are held together, fingers interlocked, at the level of his chin. He is facing us, his eyes looking into the distance somewhere to his right. His gaze is relaxed, focused and pensive.
In large, sans serif font at the left of the ad, placed at the level of Mr. King’s forehead, it is announced that: “Now Is The Time … To Make History.” This is certainly a portentious announcement on the day set aside to commemorate Mr. King, his life and the dreams he articulated for Americans. So, how can we, today, make history?
The ad answer this question. In much smaller white, sans serif type, below the portentious announcement we are told: “Today we commemorate the birthday of one of the world’s most noted patriots, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In celebration of Dr. King and his dream, you and your family are encouraged to support the soon-to-be-built Memorial to Dr. King on the National Mall.”
But what does it mean, that King is “one of the world’s most noted patriots”? Are we to understand that Dr. King was one of the world’s foremost American patriots, or that he was a patriot whose fatherland is the world? It seems to me that patriotism would not have been one the primary attributes that this follower of the spirit of Christ’s teachings would have emphasized.
What does construction of a fancy memorial have to do with Dr. King’s Dream? Would he not have preferred time and energy invested in the practice of Non-Violence and Equality in our daily lives? I recall nowhere him exhorting his fellow Americans to build a brick and stone memorial to him.
Below this, in letters a bit larger we are asked: “Please Donate Today!!! www.BuildTheDream.org 1.888.4.TheDream”. There are e-places where we can donate to build the monument. Again, it seems important to remember that King’s Dream has nothing to do with a King Memorial.
At the bottom left of the ad is a logo with a line drawing showing Mr. King in profile and the words BUILD THE DREAM at the bottom. Further down, in tiny white lettering: “The Washington, DC Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc. is a 501c3 organization, gifts to which are deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.” The legal logistical details to encourage us to part with our money. In light of all the truly courageous sacrifices that Mr. King made, it seems odd, that donors need the “tax deductible” carrot to part with a few shekels in his honor.
At the bottom right corner, in smallish print, we read: “GM [General Motors] Proud support of the Washington, DC Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc.” A declining U.S. vehicle manufacturer that is fighting the violence of global warming by resisting building less-polluting cars, is trying to hitch its gas-guzzling wagon to Dr. King’s Dream. Why does a car manufacturer need its name tied to a humanitarian leader?
This ad is a waking-life dream image. It tells us interesting information well beyond the overt content of it advertising message. It seems that something has gone a bit south for us as a culture, in terms of what King’s legacy is, if we are focusing on constructing a mortar and cement memorial for this Great Voice, while our culture is still suffused with racism and attitudes of violence. Mr. King’s message had nothing to do with the values of consumerism and advertising. How ironic, that this many years after his bloody death, that his memory is being commodified and made into an advertising opportunity for a car manufacturing dinosaur.
To make history, as the ad invokes us to do, would be to bring to life Dr. King's Dream in the waking world. His Dream is still struggling to be made real. No dream can be brought to life by an inert , even if beautiful, pile of granite. Memorials are to pay homage to those who have died. There is nothing wrong with a site of homage to the man who was Martin Luther King. But a memorial to his Dream would indicate that his Dream, too, is dead. Let the memory of this great Dreamer inspire us to keep his Dream - which is our dream, too - alive! Rather than piling up reverential stones to remember the past, let's peacefully struggle and lovingly shout out in a choir of heartful human voices to give birth to the Dream Fit for a King!