Every year, citizens spend Martin Luther King Jr. Day observing the civil rights activist’s birthday and the strides he made in establishing equality in America. MLK’s dedication to the cause of equality led to unprecedented achievement in offering equality to those of minority race groups. Today, we owe MLK for creating a more accepting and tolerant America. That being said, our country has a lot of work to do before we achieve true equality. Discrimination still exists against groups like the LGBTQ community, the Muslim community, the black community and many other minority groups.
For example, discrimination against Muslims has experienced a surge due to the Charlie Hebdo tragedy. We should all remember that a small, extreme portion of a group is not representative of an entire community. It is not healthy or fair to discriminate against an entire community based on the actions of a few. Do not let a few bad apples ruin a bunch. One could also consider the recent conflicts in Ferguson as an example of a racial landscape that is still unequal. Contention that stemmed from the Ferguson verdict showcases the necessity for a more accepting country. Equality should be expected, and provided, for all communities despite our differences.
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Once again, major strides in equality are still being achieved, exemplified by the recent Supreme Court statement that they will address same-sex marriage by June, but the fight is not over. As a community, we need to insist equality for all minority groups in the same way MLK insisted on equality for the black community.
Collegian Editorial Board can be reached at letters@collegian.com
