Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?"  Today should serve as a reminder to all of us, no matter where we are in our walk of life, that "when ordinary people come together to participate in the democracy we love, justice will not be denied."

As much as we'd like, we can't erase hate and prejudice from the minds and hearts of everyone, but we can make a conscious decision within our own hearts to practice peace and grace, compassion and understanding, and acceptance of those who are different than we are.

If we live our lives this way, just maybe our actions will spark something within someone else and they'll be inspired to live their lives the same.

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