On January 21, Hawthorne High School will be closed for students. It is a day to honor the memory of Martin Luther King Jr. and all he did for our country. Without him, our country would have fallen apart and racism/bigotry would be even bigger issues then they are today.

I’m not saying that racism is gone, but at least we have awareness of it now and our moral compass has grown stronger thanks to Dr. King.

Though we mainly use the day as an excuse to take a day off from work or school, we should remember how that man sacrificed his life to bring equality to America and he made people care about other people.

We should all take a page from King’s ideals in a time of hate, discrimination, and distrust. If we all remembered what Dr. King did and what he stood for, we could get the power to fix America and make it better than it is today. As an example, peace was always a major theme in Dr. King’s speeches and motives.

Even in this great time of unrest, someday, peace will reign forever, and Martin Luther King Jr. can rest, knowing that he did a fine job in his life. So when Monday comes, take a moment of silence and reflect on Dr. King’s teachings and do something to honor his memory.