On the first day of class I was briefly reviewing the important dates listed on the handout from the office of student services. In passing, I asked my students why we celebrate a day in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. A young woman in the front row quickly raised her hand.

“Yes?”

“Because he stood up for equal rights for all people regardless of the color of their skin,” she said.

“Yes,” I responded, “and I believe the way he stood up is important, too. Tell me, what was the main method he employed?”

“Riots,” she said.