Darkness Cannot Drive Out Darkness

Only light can do that... be a light shining in dark places.

Recently, a friend asked me why I believe the things that I believe. Why do I oppose racism, homophobia and misogyny so vehemently? Why do I always choose people over corporations and oligarchs? Why do I dwell so much upon democracy as well as economic and environmental justice? Why worry so much about those who live in the twilight and shadows of life?

Why do I believe what I believe? I have three reasons.

First and foremost, that is how my parents raised me. They were the quintessential practitioners of unconditional love. They loved each other. They loved their families. They loved their children. And they loved me. There are likely a thousand stories about my mother and father and what they taught me but even if I told them all, it would still fall short in the telling. You will just have to take my word for it.

I am a Christian and I work for a living. And I read my Bible. It has much to say on these matters, as do the great texts of other faiths, and I read much of them too.

I have endeavored to read everything that Martin Luther King, Jr. ever wrote or said and was written down. I have read the writings of many other great thinkers and leaders who have searched for the best in all of us, but Dr. King, that’s the answer to the question asked of me.

Why do I believe what I believe? Because of Dr. King, my parents, my daughter, my sisters, my brothers, those I love and my faith.

These last 19 months I have written about so many things. My readers may not fully see it yet, but themes have emerged. As I progress through 2025, I am confident those themes will become even more clear as I continue to weave my writings together, as I continue to write the story of my life.

Today, the day we celebrate Dr. King’s birthday and the contributions of his life to our nation, our world and all of us therein. I honor Dr. King as often as I can and today in particular. And in his honor, I dedicate all that I will do with my writings and in the writing of the story of my life to him and these following thoughts, written down by those much greater than I will ever be. I earnestly hope that I find the way to keep my path and my story guided by these words.

With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations. President Abraham Lincoln, 2nd Inaugural

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5