Why can't we just speak the truth and move on? MLK was the impetus of the civil rights movement, but he was also a plagiarist and a womanizer. Why wasn't his PhD revoked? JFK's philandering and alleged involvement with organized crime were suppressed by his brother, Bobby. What we are spoon-fed is the glorious allusion of Camelot. We made it to the moon and fostered the Peace Corps, but we are asked to conveniently forget the Bay of Pigs and other foreign policy fiascoes. The question of whether JFK's and MLK's shortcomings negate any of their official triumphs can only be decided by one's personal and historical prospective.
We need to reveal the good, the bad and the ugly. I find it quite interesting that we continue to foster historical textbook role models on children. If Thomas Jefferson can father a slave child and survive historical examination, why don't we stop eulogizing King and Kennedy as saints? Appreciate the good they accomplished, but include the caveats. That is how we learn from history.
If we want to celebrate a truly great "K", how about Duke basketball coach, Mike Krzyzewski? I have yet to discover any flaws in his character. This West Point grad, from humble beginnings, has captured 4 National Titles, an Olympic Championship and is the second all-time winningest basketball coach. To pass my litmus test, I also needed to know what he did when he was not coaching. He built a Family Center in honor of his mother and is a supporter of many Catholic charities. He is allied with the Duke School of Business to promote ethics. He is know as a mentor, motivator and a true family man. I have picked against him in the Final Four (big mistake), but it is hard to overlook the fact that on or off the court, he is the type of role model our children really need.
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