Peace is the tranquil space that the world seems to long for, but why can't we seem to find it? Although we may fall short of this peaceful expectation due to violence and injustice that is deeply rooted within our society, the looming question is; what is the solution? There are several who have attempted to answer this question. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. responded to violence with non-violence. In contrast, Malcom X believed that standing your ground was the correct response. Others like W.E.B. DuBois advocated for the idea that the talents and skills of minorities alone would achieve this goal of equal opportunity.
An excerpt from Proverbs that has been engraved indelibly throughout my family is “In all your getting, get the understanding.” There are so many who don't understand, and refuse to see the prejudice that we as a people face daily. The conversations that we must have within our families to ensure the safety of our loved ones also remains unseen. There are people who can’t fathom what it’s like to be hated for simply being different. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wanted the world to have an understanding of the hardships that minorities, specifically black people, face as a community. This has encouraged me to use various platforms to not only spread a positive message and a positive light on diverse cultures, but it also inspires me to inform the world about the injustice that we face. Through the help of social media and the voice that God has given me, I can use these gifts to develop programs, organize peaceful protests, and even start or participate in petitions to confront the prejudice of marginalized communities . This in turn should help us learn to accept our differences and allow our society to grow.
Although I can do these things, I am only one person. We as a community must be on the same page as well. We have to consider each other's point of view, and come
together as one, united with love and understanding.
Benton Felton
New Goshen UMC Rev. Timothy Fitzgerald 12th Grade James B. Dudley High School