February is Black History Month in the United States when we honor the lives, history, and contributions of African Americans. In today’s volatile political landscape fueled by the hate mongering of Donald Trump on one end and the justice fight for Black Lives Matter on the other end, I pause to reflect on one of my heroes in life, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He spoke from deep convictions rooted in justice, faith in God, and love for his people. His message of justice stands in stark contrast to the racist words of Trump and his followers.
My 10 years as a Jesuit has ruined this small Chuukese life for good. The Jesuits opened my mind, unlocked my voice, kindled my heart, and turned me on to the work of justice. When your mind has been opened to the cause of right and wrong, your heart has been kindled with the endless possibilities of good in humanity, and when you have come to terms with your own history of being a victim of injustice, then you have no way to live but to answer God’s call to be a peace-loving warrior of justice for others.
Being a man for others is a hard life. The easiest way is to live in the shelter of my own walls of self-centered existence loved by and love for my own immediate responsibilities (family). But justice will always knock on my heart, my mind, and my soul. At some point we all have to answer to those inner promptings of Justice courageously.
But why bother? People have asked me why I bother to speak out through my Chuuk Reform Movement against the injustices by my Chuukese politicians. After all, it seems so hopeless, so counter cultural, and unpopular to speak up against the elected officials who are perceived as elders and wield a lot of power by virtue of the public funds they control.
The answer for me is love. Love for Micronesia the nation so fragile yet so incredibly powerful. Love for God and Her people. And when things get difficult, I return time and again to these words from Dr. King,
Courage is an inner resolution to go forward despite obstacles.
Cowardice is submissive surrender to circumstances.
Courage breeds creativity; Cowardice represses fear and is mastered by it.
Cowardice asks the question, is it safe?
Expediency ask the question, is it politic?
Vanity asks the question, is it popular?
But, conscience ask the question, is it right? And there comes a time when we must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but one must take it because it is right.”– Martin Luther King, Jr.
