The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. is remembered today on the near-anniversary of his birthday -- he would have been 66 yesterday. This is the one day during the year when we set aside a few minutes to reflect on the ties that could bring us together, but simply don't.

In today's society of rising violence and intolerance, the ideals Dr. King lived and died for should be admired more than ever before. In the years since Dr. King's assassination, his ideals of non-violent protest and civil disobedience have been obscured by more emotionally appealing ideals espoused by men such as Malcolm X and Minister Louis Farrakhan.

The bottom line is that violence and hatred are easier concepts to spread because they rely on one of the most basic human instincts -- fear. And the only way to combat misunderstanding and intolerance is through education and the building of new perspectives, something every university should dedicate itself to.

Unfortunately, our University has made few efforts to further those ideals.

The best solution would be students educating themselves and broadening their own horizons. When you get into class today, ask your professor to make an effort to incorporate Dr. King into the lecture or to lead a class discussion concerning his influence. If you believe Dr. King has not had an impact on your life, read a book. The bare skeleton of open-mindedness that exists today has much to thank him for, though it has a long way to go. And it is not limited to eased racial tensions.

If your professor is unable to incorporate King's beliefs into the class period and you still want to learn about his legacy, then leave the class and go to a library or bookstore to read from his writings. Or meet with some of your peers to discuss his life.

More than anything else, take the time to at least think of what it took to get us beyond so much prejudice and how much more there is to get past. Every time you hear his name, think about the people he brought together and the impact they made.

History books and the American public overlook King's life. He was one of the most eloquent and powerful speakers and writers of the 20th century. On this day, everyone should take some time to learn from him. He has so much to teach -- and we have so much to learn.