On this observed birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., which in Wyoming we call “Equality Day,” it is good to consider the innate dignity of every person, and the respect that each is due merely because they exist.
This is not an easy concept to handle, even though it is a basic human capacity. Some people behave or dress or don’t bathe often enough, and this makes it more difficult for us to see the dignity and to offer the respect due. We don’t all wear our dignity on our sleeves all the time.
True good will – the good that we do for another person to improve their life – starts when this sometimes-hidden dignity is nonetheless recognized. Whatever good will is expressed is energized by our getting in touch with the respect due.
This is especially apparent in the way we treat the poor and the weak. This includes the homeless, the unwed mother, the pregnant teen, the addict, and the unborn child. Some of these are culpable for their own situations, but they are no less due respect, and they have no less dignity as a person than any other person.
Let our eyes be opened to recognize the inherent worth and nobility of all others, especially the person next to us.
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