I just got back from the Martin Luther King Jr. celebration in Graham Chapel and was deeply moved by professor Bob Hansman’s remarks about the true meaning of King’s life. For those who missed it, Professor Hansman reminded us that King was not a mere dreamer and proponent of conciliation, but a fierce and often critical advocate of true justice.

At the “Shattering Ceilings: Celebrating Success in Pursuit of the Dream” ceremony in Graham Chapel this Monday, held to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at Washington University, I felt a sense of alienation and of absurdity for the first half of the precedings. The cover of the event’s program sported a photograph of Martin [...]