As I recently celebrated Martin Luther King Day, I was reminded of him “getting to the Promised Land.”

Unfortunately, he was assassinated by some misguided bigots before he reached it. We will always have these misguided people, but we also have heroes all around us; often they are the quiet heroes, not brash, loud or seeking glory.

It is up to us to recognize these heroes, and participate fully in our democracy by voting them to lead, whether it is local or national opportunities. We can look at what they say, how they say it, but more important, we must look at what they do.

I hope you will join me as we travel through challenging times to tune in, not tune out. Look at our community and the country, see what we do. When Martin Luther King said the “Promised Land,” I believe we will get there if we take the right road, challenging though it might be. Dark it might be.

Bright lights and gaudy fixtures will obscure and distract from the goal; we can only see the stars in the dark. Look for the real heroes.

LAREE JOHNSON

Astoria