"Call to Conscience:"Martin Luther King Jr.'s Message of Nonviolence Today"

A Short Essay
by Judith Stark
Arthur Romano spoke at the Lynnwood Convention Center on January 14, 2010: a promoter of peace and nonviolence trainer: A quiet unassuming man with eyes of peace. During Arthur’s presentation excerpts from Martin Luther King’s message: “Call to Conscience” played at intervals: piercing our hearts and opening our minds to what injustice is. In Martin Luther King’s words we must “restructure American Society” and ask questions such as “why so many poor?” “Question capitalistic economics …and ask questions about our whole society.” Dr. King challenges us to be "extremists for love not hate": A voice of reason and someone to listen to with reverence and purpose. He entreats Society to "challenge injustice in our community and not to fear but to act courageously in nonviolent ways for a better, more just future."
Arthur spoke of being overwhelmed and how easy it is because of the pain in the world. We took a moment of silence for Haiti- "Haiti’s unimaginable pain-We must get involved with all things that make up our coexistence by being involved with local led community projects,” he said - "When people are alone and by themselves they become lonely and empty; unloved and unwanted, they need something more than money but they don’t know what it is."
He spoke how nonviolence in action "is global and the pilgrimage to non violence is a creative force." He asked us to commit to doing one thing to promote peace and in so doing we are part of a huge family and a vast network of acts of caring. He related how "one seed can make a difference; (a powerful metaphor)" and in the act of sharing that one seed with others and their seeds with us we can all grow more than if we’d kept it to ourselves. It made me become more aware that the “Power of One” is strong and to never give up on helping others and in so doing help ourselves.


.
.