WEBVTT 00:00.770 --> 00:01.960 - Good afternoon everyone. 00:01.960 --> 00:03.840 My name is Sergeant First Class James Webb, 00:03.840 --> 00:06.640 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, Equal Opportunity Advisor. 00:06.640 --> 00:08.200 Welcome to the 10th Mountain Division, 00:08.200 --> 00:11.050 in Fort Drum's Dr. Martin Luther King Junior observance 00:11.050 --> 00:12.420 Each year, the Department of Defense 00:12.420 --> 00:14.090 and the nation joins together 00:14.090 --> 00:15.620 in celebrating the life and legacy 00:15.620 --> 00:17.070 of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 00:17.070 --> 00:18.940 We do this through a day of community service. 00:18.940 --> 00:20.760 It is a day on, not a day off. 00:20.760 --> 00:23.010 This year, the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade 00:23.010 --> 00:24.990 and the American Red Cross has collaborated 00:24.990 --> 00:27.140 to host a life and legacy blood drive. 00:27.140 --> 00:29.910 The blood drive will be on 21 January, 2019, 00:29.910 --> 00:32.523 from 10 to 1400 hours in the commissary parking lot. 00:33.430 --> 00:35.240 Like the United States Army of today, 00:35.240 --> 00:37.030 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. realized 00:37.030 --> 00:38.720 the vital importance of treating each other 00:38.720 --> 00:40.400 with dignity and respect. 00:40.400 --> 00:41.670 Please watch this brief history 00:41.670 --> 00:43.000 of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., 00:43.000 --> 00:44.230 as presented by the soldiers of the 00:44.230 --> 00:45.970 10th Combat Aviation Brigade. 00:47.010 --> 00:48.740 - [Narrator] Born in Atlanta, Georgia, 00:48.740 --> 00:50.750 Dr. King became widely regarded as 00:50.750 --> 00:53.991 America's preeminent advocate of non-violence. 00:53.991 --> 00:55.830 And one of the greatest non-violent leaders 00:55.830 --> 00:57.643 for change in world history. 00:58.480 --> 01:01.720 He drew upon inspiration from both his Christian faith, 01:01.720 --> 01:04.103 and the peaceful teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. 01:05.120 --> 01:07.390 Dr. King led multiple non-violent movements 01:07.390 --> 01:09.940 in late 1950s and '60s, to achieve 01:09.940 --> 01:14.120 legal equality for African Americans in the United States. 01:14.120 --> 01:15.710 While others were advocating for freedom 01:15.710 --> 01:19.300 by any means necessary, including violence, 01:19.300 --> 01:21.070 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. used 01:21.070 --> 01:24.160 the power of words and acts of nonviolent resistance, 01:24.160 --> 01:27.480 such as protests, grassroots organizing 01:27.480 --> 01:29.260 and civil disobedience to achieve 01:29.260 --> 01:31.353 seemingly impossible goals. 01:32.640 --> 01:35.540 Dr. King went on to lead similar campaigns against poverty, 01:35.540 --> 01:37.073 and international conflict. 01:38.210 --> 01:40.440 Always maintaining fidelity to his principles 01:40.440 --> 01:42.410 that men and women everywhere, 01:42.410 --> 01:44.830 regardless of color or creed, 01:44.830 --> 01:47.223 were equal members of the human family. 01:48.280 --> 01:50.440 The holiday celebrates his life and achievements, 01:50.440 --> 01:51.840 and encourages people everywhere 01:51.840 --> 01:53.100 to reflect on the principles of 01:53.100 --> 01:56.283 non-violent social change and racial equality. 01:57.220 --> 01:58.770 Tragically, he was assassinated 01:58.770 --> 02:01.120 by James Earl Ray in Memphis, Tennessee, 02:01.120 --> 02:04.210 on April 4th, 1968. 02:04.210 --> 02:06.120 However, like a true warrior, 02:06.120 --> 02:09.620 his legacy continues to unite people across all races 02:09.620 --> 02:12.453 and serves as a beacon of hope during turbulent times. 02:14.510 --> 02:16.290 Dr. King was a phenomenal person, 02:16.290 --> 02:18.200 who in life and even after death, 02:18.200 --> 02:21.840 promotes dignity and respect combined with equality. 02:21.840 --> 02:23.540 In recognition of his accomplishments 02:23.540 --> 02:26.260 and impact on the world, Congress passed a bill 02:26.260 --> 02:29.730 designating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday 02:29.730 --> 02:32.803 as a national holiday, starting in 1986. 02:33.800 --> 02:35.630 The Department of Defense first observed 02:35.630 --> 02:38.650 Martin Luther King Jr. day in 1985, 02:38.650 --> 02:40.993 a year before it became a federal holiday. 02:41.840 --> 02:45.380 On August 23rd 1994, Congress passed 02:45.380 --> 02:48.590 the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday and Service Act, 02:48.590 --> 02:50.450 designating Dr. King's holiday 02:50.450 --> 02:52.283 as a day of volunteer service. 02:53.130 --> 02:55.250 Today is a day that we take action, 02:55.250 --> 02:56.480 and work towards accomplishing 02:56.480 --> 02:59.030 his dream of working together. 02:59.030 --> 03:02.640 The holiday is celebrated at all U.S. military installations 03:02.640 --> 03:04.400 and is observed by local groups 03:04.400 --> 03:07.250 in more than 100 nations. 03:07.250 --> 03:08.990 Today, our armed forces are stronger 03:08.990 --> 03:11.250 because of the perseverance of Dr. King, 03:11.250 --> 03:13.170 and so many others in this country, 03:13.170 --> 03:14.740 who have fought for civil rights 03:14.740 --> 03:16.740 and equality for all. 03:16.740 --> 03:18.740 On this day of action, we are inspired 03:18.740 --> 03:21.620 to continue being a model for our nation. 03:21.620 --> 03:25.300 We will now hear from 10th Combat Aviation Brigade soldiers, 03:25.300 --> 03:27.683 who will share Dr. King's words with us. 03:29.060 --> 03:31.180 - Darkness cannot drive out darkness, 03:31.180 --> 03:32.900 only light can do that. 03:32.900 --> 03:34.710 Hate cannot drive out hate, 03:34.710 --> 03:35.863 only love can do that. 03:36.850 --> 03:38.597 - I believe that unarmed truth, 03:38.597 --> 03:39.800 and unconditional love will have 03:39.800 --> 03:41.100 the final word in reality. 03:42.210 --> 03:44.753 - Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 03:45.600 --> 03:47.940 what are you doing for others? 03:47.940 --> 03:50.810 - Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve. 03:50.810 --> 03:52.800 You don't have to have a college degree to serve. 03:52.800 --> 03:55.960 You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. 03:55.960 --> 03:57.780 You only need a heart full of grace, 03:57.780 --> 03:59.813 and a soul generated by love. 04:01.090 --> 04:02.950 - I have a dream, that one day, 04:02.950 --> 04:04.440 this nation will rise up, 04:04.440 --> 04:06.660 and live out the true meaning of its creed. 04:06.660 --> 04:08.740 We hold these truths to be self-evident, 04:08.740 --> 04:11.050 that all men are created equal. 04:11.050 --> 04:13.830 - Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, 04:13.830 --> 04:17.040 but a means by which we arrive at that goal. 04:17.040 --> 04:21.230 - Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. 04:21.230 --> 04:22.820 - All labor that uplifts humanity 04:22.820 --> 04:24.400 has dignity and importance. 04:24.400 --> 04:27.000 And should be undertaken with painstaking excellence. 04:27.000 --> 04:28.490 - We know through painful experience 04:28.490 --> 04:29.760 that freedom is never volunteered 04:29.760 --> 04:32.730 by the oppressor, but demanded by the oppressed. 04:32.730 --> 04:34.600 - The quality, not the longevity, 04:34.600 --> 04:36.603 of one's life is what is important. 04:37.610 --> 04:39.670 - We shall overcome, because the 04:39.670 --> 04:42.860 arch of the moral universe is long 04:42.860 --> 04:44.623 but it bends towards justice. 04:46.150 --> 04:48.740 - A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus, 04:48.740 --> 04:51.050 but a molder of consensus. 04:51.050 --> 04:52.930 - Dr. Martin Luther King was a vital figure 04:52.930 --> 04:54.990 of the modern era, and a pivotal figure 04:54.990 --> 04:56.570 in the civil rights movement. 04:56.570 --> 04:58.710 In sermons and speeches, Dr. King's voice 04:58.710 --> 04:59.930 rang out with a call for us 04:59.930 --> 05:01.420 to work towards a better tomorrow. 05:01.420 --> 05:03.490 - His actions inspired men and women, 05:03.490 --> 05:05.430 young and old, in this nation 05:05.430 --> 05:07.010 and around the world. 05:07.010 --> 05:09.380 Please join the hundreds of thousands of people 05:09.380 --> 05:12.720 who serve on MLK Day and throughout the year. 05:12.720 --> 05:14.670 America's new foundation will be built 05:14.670 --> 05:16.230 one community at a time. 05:16.230 --> 05:18.180 And it starts with you. 05:18.180 --> 05:19.760 Dr. Martin Luther King's life 05:19.760 --> 05:22.330 was truly a climb to glory. 05:22.330 --> 05:24.510 During his life, he reached the mountaintop, 05:24.510 --> 05:26.840 where he could see the promised land. 05:26.840 --> 05:29.490 So today and everyday, we should continue 05:29.490 --> 05:31.400 the climb and to all people, 05:31.400 --> 05:33.980 share the equality that Dr. King 05:33.980 --> 05:36.070 worked so hard to achieve. 05:36.070 --> 05:38.510 So no matter what, keep moving, 05:38.510 --> 05:39.970 and we'll all meet at the top, 05:39.970 --> 05:41.363 on our climb to glory.