While there’s plenty of buzz in the LGBT community about the slighting of Bishop Gene Robinson at yesterday’s inaugural festivities, let’s not forget how important this day is.

When we focus on the injustices, (which seems almost daily), we often forget all the positive steps forward the LGBT community has made as a whole, and on this of all days, we need be cognizant of that. Otherwise there really is is no hope.

It would serve our community well to remember some of Dr. King’s wise words…

Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can’t ride you unless your back is bent.

Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.

Have we not come to such an impasse in the modern world that we must love our enemies – or else? The chain reaction of evil – hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars – must be broken, or else we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation.

Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.

And of course…

“And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”

Every step forward, no matter how small, brings us closer to Martin Luther King’s dream. Let us not forget that.