Our loyalties must transcend
Photo courtesy: https://pixabay.com/users/gregreese-6817251/
It’s the third Monday in January. And, thanks to Ronald Reagan, this is when we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr day. King is famous for many things, most notably, his “I have a dream speech” calling for racial equality. But, a single speech doesn’t make someone great. King was an orator of great renown. Almost everything that came out of his mouth suffused with profundity. At the MLK Jr memorial in Washington are a number of these quotes. One, from his Christmas address in Atlanta, 1967, seems very prescient today since today also sees the inauguration of the first convicted felon to the presidency. King says “Our loyalties must transcend our race, our tribe, our class, and our nation; and this means we must develop a world perspective.”
While many of King’s quotes are timeless, this one has a particular rhyme at this moment. The President to be demands loyalty to him, but, returns little to none, unless he personally benefits from it. Our country has followed a divisive path toward the tribalism, racism, and class divisions King warns us of in this speech. Instead of developing a world view, the incoming administration espouses an “America first” agenda. They pit people against each other. Our politics become our identity, creating tension, enmity, and a general distrust and loathing toward anything or anyone outside of the information bubbles feeding our world view. People, willingly, allow themselves to become ignorant of anything antithetical to their construct, painting false pictures of good VS evil. This absolutism allows for a corruption of morals and ethics. King and other proponents of non-violence would be mortified.
Table of Contents
What does “Our loyalties must transcend” mean?
The full section of the speech reads as:
Now let me suggest first that if we are to have peace on earth, our loyalties must become ecumenical rather than sectional. Our loyalties must transcend our race, our tribe, our class, and our nation; and this means we must develop a world perspective. No individual can live alone; no nation can live alone, and as long as we try, the more we are going to have war in this world. Now the judgment of God is upon us, and we must either learn to live together as brothers or we are all going to perish together as fools.
Watching today’s politics, it appears people sided with “we are all going to perish together as fools”. King touches on the multi-faceted problem of self interest. He says no individual, nor nation can live alone. And, we see this trend in modern life. The rich strive to get richer by controlling the levers of government, no longer of the people, by the people, and for the people, but, of, for, and by the rich. This selfishness extends toward the nationalist view that “our nation” is better than yours. And, we need to get our piece of the pie before you. This is the exact opposite of King’s vision.
The end must justify the means
Many, even on opposing sides of political arguments cry for justice at any cost. But, what they seek is actually a perversion of justice. King also addresses this in his speech, with a section dedicated to the inequality of means VS ends. He disparages the concept of the end must justify the means:
Now let me say, secondly, that if we are to have peace in the world, men and nations must embrace the nonviolent affirmation that ends and means must cohere. One of the great philosophical debates of history has been over the whole question of means and ends. And there have always been those who argued that the end justifies the means, that the means really aren’t important. The important thing is to get to the end, you see.
But we will never have peace in the world until men everywhere recognize that ends are not cut off from means, because the means represent the ideal in the making, and the end in process, and ultimately you can’t reach good ends through evil means, because the means represent the seed and the end represents the tree.
Are we the fools?
In his speech, King reminds us of the interconnectedness of the world and universe. He has a section in which he speaks of how your morning routine stems from an international collaboration with the soap you use coming from France, the coffee from south America, Tea from China, Cocoa from South Africa, etc. We have a global society. And, if we want peace and prosperity, it should be for all, regardless of geographical location, the color of your skin, or the amount of money your family made off the backs of hardworking people. Again, we need to adopt a truly global view to approximate peace. Patrick Henry, famously, sated, “United we stand, divided we fall”. This motto finds it’s way into patriotic doctrine. But, it’s still only focused on the tribal level, not globally. We need to stand with the world.
Our loyalties must transcend a foolish consistency
Granted, there are people in other countries with the same view. So, again, King’s words are nothing but a dream. But, if we can start with our own country, maybe we can spread this hope throughout the world. If we can spread a pandemic, why not a cure for what really ails humanity? Unfortunately, it requires a fundamental change in the minds and actions of all people. And, a foolish consistency seems more appealing to most people. Perhaps, the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson coupled with King’s words could have an impact.
“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. Speak what you think now in hard words, and to-morrow speak what to-morrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said to-day. — ‘Ah, so you shall be sure to be misunderstood.’ — Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood.”
Oh Lord, Please don’t let me be misunderstood
That’s a famous line from a song by the Animals around the time King was making the rounds. The song was about a man losing his temper. And, it illustrates just what King and Emerson both lament. Emerson was a transcendentalist, and would agree with King that Our loyalties must transcend our own base emotions. We want to lash out when we are frustrated or angered. But, the ends don’t justify the means. That’s why Politicians from both sides of the aisle condemn assassination attempts. But, to quell impulses is hard, especially when the language of politics is about fighting the other side or unseen forces. The incoming president marketed a bunch of junk emblazoned with “Fight, fight, fight.” Harris proclaimed, “if we fight, we win”. If we want to change the world, we need to change the perception of what politics are on an individual and collective basis.
The Us VS them mentality has to change. It’s not what politics are. Politics, whether governmental or personal, is recognizing, addressing, and solving issues. Unfortunately, politicians the world over represent special interests instead of the people. We live in a time of unprecedented, wealth, supplies, and technology. Surely, we could alleviate most of the suffering in the world. Instead, we concentrate wealth in the hands of a few people, and they keep pockets of despair to prevent losing their standing and obscene riches. We all depend on each other. But, there are factions throughout the world hell bent on protecting their own interest, despite the inter-relatedness of all.
As King said:
This is the way our universe is structured, this is its interrelated quality. We aren’t going to have peace on earth until we recognize this basic fact of the interrelated structure of all reality.
And, nowadays it’s all about likes, and accumulating as many followers as possible by saying something headline grabbing. Again, the ends justify the means. While typing this, I noticed that my title has an SEO score of 31/100. That means that the exact words of one of our greatest orators will attract less than 1/3 of a general audience. That’s pretty telling, since algorithms drive what news people get and how they will view the world. If asking people to transcend isn’t going to reach the masses, King truly lived in a dream world with no chance of fulfilling any of his ideas.
Still, Our loyalties must transcend
King believed in universal order. In his 1963 letter from a Birmingham jail he proclaimed:
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”
This sentiment echoes another Transcendentalist friend of Emerson’s: Henry David Thoreau’s “As if you could kill time without injuring eternity”. We looked at this and related concepts in our recent post about “Nothing”. While King addressed the plight of people, Thoreau focused on the individual. Both approaches are right, and have the same end, a more conscious and aware world and universe. Remember, to actuate true equality, not just between races, but all the citizens of the world, a sea change coming from within every individual is required.
If all people thought like this, we wouldn’t have the problems we have today. Unfortunately, it calls for a fight on micro and macro levels simultaneously. And, there it is again: the word fight. What is wrong with this world that everything needs to be a fight, especially doing the right thing? It’s easier and slovenly to maintain the foolish consistency, so that’s where people, generally, land. But, to fulfill King’s legacy, we need to do things not because they are easy, but BECAUSE they are hard (JFK)
Love conquers Hate because Our loyalties must transcend
When receiving the Nobel Prize in 1964, King said:
“I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.”
This is something we can find solace in today. Ironically, it’s the Ultra religious who backed a criminal because he said he would seek retribution. But, retribution is the antithesis of what Jesus taught. He called for us to love our oppressors despite their transgressions. King puts it like this:
“Then the Greek language has another word for love, and that is the word agape. Agape is more than romantic love, it is more than friendship. Agape is understanding, creative, redemptive good will toward all men. Agape is an overflowing love which seeks nothing in return. Theologians would say that it is the love of God operating in the human heart. When you rise to love on this level, you love all men not because you like them, not because their ways appeal to you, but you love them because God loves them. This is what Jesus meant when he said, “Love your enemies.”
So, how about we practice agape, and seek to bond with each other instead of trying to tear each other down. Even if Evil may seem triumphant, isn’t right temporarily defeated a more positive outlook? In the end, Our loyalties must transcend.
Did someone say Agape?
Or was that agave? In this Christmas address, King spoke of how dependent the world is on each other. It’s not America vs the world, but all living in harmony. To that end, we present some international recipes to illustrate how we all must work together. And, what better way than sharing food, which is one of the ultimate goals of King’s dreams. For all to share in the bounty of the Earth equally. We include varied recipes from different parts of the world, including a pecan pie recipe, which was, allegedly, one of Martin Luther King Jr’s favorite desserts.
In King’s words: “Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.”
Minted Agave Watermelon Margarita
Ingredients
- 4 Cups Cubed Seedless Watermelon
- 1 Cup Lime Juice
- 1 cup Agave Syrup
- 8 oz Tequila
- 8 Oz Limoncello
- 12 each Mint Leaves, plus more for garnish
- Limes For garnish
- large Grain Sugar for rims of glasses
Instructions
- Blend the watermelon at high speed until it becomes liquid. Add in the remaining ingredients, and pulse to break up the mint into digestible pieces.
- Wet the rims of your glasses. Dip them in the sugar until it sticks. Fill the glasses with the margarita and garnish with lime and mint leaves.
Frankincense and Myrrh Smoked lamb loin with Eggplant Chutney
Equipment
- roasting pan with draining rack
Ingredients
- For Lamb
- 2 Lb Trimmed lamb loin may substitute other tender cut of lamb like lamb rack with bones removed
- 2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh garlic
- 2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Marjoram
- 2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Rosemary
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground Sumac
- 1/2 Cup Olive oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 oz Frankincense incense https://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Aromas-Frankincense-Biblical-Fragrance/dp/B0CCSFJWW9/ref=asc_df_B0CCSFJWW9/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=675730641309&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2592222546721476801&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9002023&hvtargid=pla-2245914012879&psc=1&mcid=b9b02c9211cb30ca93b2195bdfaf8bd5
- 1/4 oz Myrrh incense https://www.amazon.com/Incense-Igneous-Products-Commiphora-Erythraea/dp/B082668NJ5/ref=asc_df_B082668NJ5/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=416960645012&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9980044762910990967&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9002023&hvtargid=pla-911434100310&psc=1&mcid=714d03c621983230bcb32ce66375961e&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=97671762687&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=416960645012&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9980044762910990967&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9002023&hvtargid=pla-911434100310&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1OSOoaa3gwMVU1pHAR1ynQEzEAQYAiABEgLOuPD_BwE
- water to soak incense
- For Eggplant:
- 3 Cup Peeled and Diced Eggplant
- 1 Cup Diced Sweet onion
- 1 tsp Chopped Fresh garlic
- olive oil for cooking
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1/4 Cup Sugar
- 1 Cup White Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Rosemary
- 1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley
- The juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Mix the oil, herbs and spices for the lam in a bowl Marinate the meat for at least 1 hour.
- Make the chutney: Saute the onion, garlic, and eggplant over medium high heat until softened. Add the sugar and melt it. Add the cumin and mix well. Then add the vinegar and turn the heat down to a low simmer. Cook until the liquid becomes a coating. Season with salt and pepper, and add in the herbs. Then cool until ready to use.
- Preheat oven to 350.
- In a roasting pan with a rack, Soak the incense in just enough water to cover it until it absorbs most of the water.
- In a large saute pan, sear the meat in a little olive oil over high heat. You don't want to cook it, just get some color on the meat. Then transfer it to the roasting pan with the incense in the bottom.
- Heat the roasting pan over a high flame on the stove until the incense begins to smoke. Then cover the pan either with a provided lid or aluminum foil. Put it in the oven to let it cook.
- Cook until the meat reaches your desired temperature. For Medium rare, you want a temperature of about 120 to 125 degrees Fahrenheit. This should take about 10 to 20 minutes depending on the thickness of the meat.
- When it is done, take the meat out of the pan and allow it to rest about 10 minutes. In the meantime, heat the chutney over low heat. When the meat has rested, slice it in thin pieces and serve with the chutney.
Honey Jalapeno Studded Corn Bread
Equipment
- 1 9 Inch Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Bread Flour May substitute GF flour or AP flour
- 1 Cup Corn Meal
- 1 Tbsp baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1/2 Cup Honey, plus extra to drizzle
- 1/4 Cup Sugar
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 1/2 Cup Buttermilk may substitute regular milk
- 1/2 Cup Melted Butter Plus extra for brushing on top.
- 2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Jalapeno
- 1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Scallion
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place a cast iron skillet in the oven to get hot as well.
- Mix first 5 dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl
- Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl. Add sugar, honey , buttermilk, and butter. Mix well.
- Mix the wet and dry ingredients and fold in the jalapenos and scallions.
- Remove the skillet from the fully heated oven. Spray with pan spray generously. Add in the mix, and spread evenly. Place the pan back in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes. Test the cornbread to see if it is done. It should be solid. And, if you stick a toothpick in, it should come out dry. Give more time if necessary.
- remove from the oven. And, brush the top with a little honey and melted butter. Allow to cool before cutting. Serve with Honey or maple butter. Or, spice it up by blending jalapeno or hot sauce with butter or cream cheese.
Korean BiBimBap
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Short Grain Rice
- 4 cups Water or vegetable broth
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 4 Large Eggs
- 1 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Seeds
- Sesame oil for cooking
- For the Protein:
- 1/2 Lb Protein (Beef, chicken, Tofu, or seafood)
- 1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Garlic
- 1/4 Cup Grated Fresh Green Apple
- 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Honey
- 2 Tbsp Sesame Oil
- For the Vegetables:
- 1 Cup Julienne Fresh Carrots
- 1 Cup Julienne Fresh Zucchini
- 1 Cup Julienne Fresh Shiitake Mushrooms
- 4 Cup Fresh Spinach
- 3 Cups Bean Sprouts
- 1 Cup Julienne Red Pepper
- Vegetable oil for cooking
- 1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Garlic
- Salt to taste
- 2 tsp Soy Sauce
- 2 tsp Mirin or rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 tsp Sugar
- Toasted Sesame oil to taste
- For Sauce
- 1/4 Cup Gochujang Chili paste
- 1 Ounce Mirin
- 1 Ounce Rice Wine Vinegar
- 1/2 Tbsp Soy Sauce or Tamari
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Chopped Fresh garlic
- 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
Instructions
- Marinate the protein: Slice meats, fish, or tofu in thin pieces or cubes. Mix all the other ingredients. Toss the protein in the marinade and set aside for at least an hour.
- Make the Sauce: Whisk all ingredients in a bowl. Set Aside.
- Cut and cook all the vegetables. Traditionally, all the vegetables are cut in Julienne strips. We recommend this for presentation, consistency, and ease of cooking. Cook each vegetable separately in a little oil over high heat. Just cook until al dente. Mix garlic, soy, mirin, sesame oil, salt and sugar to make a light marinade. Drizzle this over or toss each vegetable separately in this mix. Keep them separate for presentation.
- Cook the Rice: Boil the water or stock with a pinch of salt. Add the rice and stir. Simmer until cooked, but not falling apart.
- Cook the protein: Saute at high heat until cooked through.
- Fry the Eggs in a little Sesame oil. Cook them sunny side up, so the yolk is still runny. Be careful not to break the yolk. That is saved for when you are eating.
- Put the rice in bowls. Arrange the vegetables and protein on top, alternating colors. Place the egg on top in the middle. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve the sauce on the side and/or drizzled on top. Enjoy!
Notes
Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie
Ingredients
- For Pie Dough:
- 2.5 Cups AP Flour
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- 1 Cup Very Cold Butter Cut into 1/4 inch Cubes (best if put in freezer for 20 minutes or straight out of fridge)
- 4 to 8 Tbsp Ice cold water
- For Chocolate Glaze:
- 8 Ounces Sweet or semi Sweet Chocolate Chips, chunks, or disks
- 1 Ounce Bourbon
- 1 Ounce Vegetable Oil
- For Filling
- 1 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1 Cup Light Corn Syrup (or Honey)
- 1/2 Cup Molasses
- 1/4 Cup Bourbon
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt or sea salt
- 1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
- 4 Large Eggs
- 1 Stick Unsalted Butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350
- Make Pie Dough: Mix all the dry ingredients together. Then, you can either use a food processor or mix by hand, add in the cold butter into 1/2 of the flour. Mix until all the butter is coated. Then, add the rest of the flour. Mix until it becomes a paste. Add water 1 Tablespoon at a time, mix well. You want a solid dough, not too wet or dry.
- Lightly flour a flat, clean surface. Roll out the dough until it is about 1/8 inch thick. Fit the dough into a 9 inch pie tin and crimp the edges by hand. Set aside until filling is done.
- For Chocolate glaze: Melt chocolate, booze, and oil in a double boiler or in a mixing bowl over a pan of boiling water. Stir until smooth. If it is too thick, add more oil. But, don't make it too thin or it won't set up. Take half the chocolate and brush the inside of the pie shell.
- For Filling: Boil all ingredients except for eggs, Butter, and vanilla in pot for about 2 minutes. Be sure to mix it well. make sure the syrup is smooth. Remove from the heat. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs. Slowly drizzle in the hot liquid, whisking constantly until the mix is smooth. be careful not to add too fast or you could curdle the eggs. Stir in the butter and vanilla quickly. The residual heat will melt the butter.
- Fold the pecans into the filling. Then, pour the filling into the pie shell. Make sure it lies flat. Put the pie tin on top of a sheet pan to catch any drips if the pie bubbles over. Bake the pie for 45 to 60 minutes until it firms up.
- Remove the pie from the oven and drizzle with the rest of the chocolate. Cool at least an hour. When it is fully set up, you can slice it and serve. Try serving it with ice cream and a bourbon caramel sauce or just as is.