This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Twenty-five years ago, this nation honored and celebrated for the first time the birth date of one its greatest heroes, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We were not merely recognizing the physical birth of a great man, but the ideas of the man who gave birth to the conversion of the moral character of our country.

Through his non-violent philosophies of peace, love, mutuality and respect, he was resolute in his pursuit of a better America for all.

In a time riddled with strife, racial insolence, bigotry, and mass inequality, King spoke to the moral obligation that we have to each other. He understood the interconnectedness of the diverse population of people living in America and across the globe.

As he so eloquently stated, "We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny."

This serves as the basis for the obligation that we must have to our people and others, the highly educated and the uneducated alike. Irrespective of noticeable differences, King believed that it was incumbent upon each and every one of us to treat people with the decency and respect we would treat our very own. He knew that what impacted one of us directly had an impact on all of us indirectly.

As we are quick to recognize the progress our country has made, we cannot rest on those victories alone. We must continue to march toward the mark, as the dream has not completely been realized.

Yes, it was a part of King's dream for his kids to "not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."

However, we cannot relegate his vision to this 16-word sound bite and ignore the rest of his body of work. He challenged America to live up to her founding principles and get out of her comfort zone of complacency, injustice and inequality.

In spite of what he witnessed, experienced and endured, King remained optimistic.

He was often condemned for his aspirations and actions, and yet he never wavered. It was through his sheer optimism and conviction that he desired to see the conversion of America's moral character.

A conversion to build a nation of brothers and sisters instead of enemies; a conversion committed to justice as opposed to the malignant nature of injustice; a conversion to selflessness and regard from selfishness and disrespect.

In order to live out The Dream, we must get out of our own comfort zones as change has rarely occurred in comfort. It is due in part to the lack of comfort and fear of changing that we have not achieved our more perfect union.

We must embody the conviction to be better and do better, as King was so committed to doing. To be courageous in our convictions in the face of condemnation is never convenient nor is it comfortable. It is here that we must remain vigilant and have the courage to stay committed to seeing these conversions through.

Given today's social, economic and political climate, it is imperative that we develop and embrace new comfort zones of mutuality, respect, peace and love for all people. I remain hopeful that we, here in the state of Utah and in one of the greatest nations in the world, can and will come together to bridge these social, political and economic divides.

There is too much at stake and there is too much for us to lose. So, I ask…is there a King in you?

Roderic R. Land is chairman of the Utah Martin Luther King Human Rights Commission.