This Inauguration Day is, in many ways, not the beginning of a new chapter in America’s history but the continuation of an old one. Ironically, President Donald Trump’s second inauguration will fall on Jan. 20, which is the third Monday of the month, which so happens to be Martin Luther King Jr. Day. 

These occasions do not coincide every year; only two Presidential inaugurations have fallen on the holiday since its first national observance in 1986, but only President Clinton was actually sworn in on MLK Day in 1997. 

During his first term in 1994, Clinton signed a bill designating MLK Day as a National Day of Service. It became a day to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy and encourage Americans to continue his life’s work by working to improve their communities.  

While the day honors Dr. King’s commitment to justice and unity, President Trump’s third campaign, in contrast, was built on targeted attacks on marginalized communities like immigrants and transgender people. He proudly advertised his role in overturning Roe v. Wade, brazenly flaunted his plans to illegally deport millions of immigrants and shamelessly lied over 30,000 times in his four years of presidency — one of his personal bests being 162 lies in a one-hour-long news conference. 

The potential — and now reality — of a second Trump Administration has been characterized as “fundamentally anti-American” by civil rights groups. Yet, it is on a day dedicated to honoring a man who fought for racial equality that we install another man who has capitalized on and perpetuated racial discrimination his entire life.

President Trump has a long history of racism dating back to the 1970s when he was sued by the federal government for allegedly discriminating against black individuals seeking apartments. Less than twenty years later, Trump bought a full-page newspaper ad urging New York State to reinstate the death penalty during the trial of the now-exonerated Central Park Five.

Present Trump loudly made bigoted remarks all throughout the 1990s and 2000s. Then, he propelled himself into the political scene on the baseless, racist claim that then-Presidential candidate Barack Obama was from Africa and not an American citizen. His first term was teeming with the same racist dog whistles that have characterized his public persona for decades.  

Despite all of this, President Trump has claimed repeatedly that he is the “least racist person that you’ve ever encountered.” An impressive feat, given his track record. 

A man who has profited off of division and hatred taking the stage on the day America has set aside for the remembrance of a leader who championed unity, equality and justice feels like the start of a bad joke. 

But, it is also strikingly emblematic of the enduring oppression that Dr. King protested. In a time where his work is so often simplified and whitewashed and his image used to silence dissent, we are reminded of the importance of preserving the integrity of his advocacy. 

Dr. King fought for justice, an end to systemic racism, labor exploitation and militarism. He condemned not only overt segregation and oppression but also the complicity of white moderates and their shallow understanding of bigotry. 

While Dr. King’s nonviolent strategy is celebrated, it is also often publicly sanitized and used to stifle protest. “Act like MLK,” activists are told in twisted irony when they are being “too critical” and “too disruptive.” 

In glorifying Dr. King’s approach, America has equated passivity with nonviolence. In immortalizing his work, America has forgotten that it took all of us joining him to create change. In celebrating the beginnings of revolution, America has forgotten that it’s not over yet.

But just as we recognize the progress that we’ve made and start to make more, President Trump is trying to undo it. 

Trump often threatened throughout his campaign to defund sanctuary cities like Denver, where undocumented immigrants can access city services like public transportation or healthcare without fear of deportation. 

The thought behind a sanctuary city is that we house our neighbors and unify our communities. They emphasize the importance of compassion—the very compassion that Dr. King stood for. 

The division, exclusion and demonization of our friends, neighbors and community members should remind us of the resentment, animosity and pure hatred of our not-so-distant past. The civil rights movement demanded justice for crimes that many white Americans did not want to be held accountable for. Dr. King died an incredibly unpopular figure. 

Yet in the last fifty years, we have come to understand what it means to be sanctuaries. We are named for the fact that our borders are not determined by who we can exclude but by who we can shelter. In Denver, we prioritize humanity over hatred. We choose to foster inclusion over fear. 

We choose to be a refuge, where no harm comes to people who seek help, where “neighbor” means both the person next door and the person standing next to you on the bus, where safe haven is promised because everyone has a right to belong somewhere. 

It’s not enough to say we believe in the human right to safety, stability and dignity. As Dr. King taught us, actions speak louder than words. If President Trump indeed follows through on his campaign promises — which, as we know, is not a given — then it is our collective obligation to tear down walls where he intends to build them. 

Although the next four years can seem daunting, especially with leadership that does not reflect the values that Dr. King fought for, it is crucial to remember that MLK Day exists as a “day on, not a day off.” Now is not the time to sit back and be complacent. Now is not the time to be consumed by despair. Now is not the time for apathy. Today is a call to action for President Trump and his supporters, and so it must be for us, too. 

We can start here, at DU, and in our Denver community at large. We can start by protecting and advocating for our neighbors, especially our most vulnerable. We can start today, but we cannot stop here. We have our work cut out for us, and as it becomes more difficult, we must know it is that much more essential. 

Dr. King told us once that, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. The true neighbor will risk his position, his prestige and even his life for the welfare of others.” 

Today proved that these are challenging times. In his honor, we must rise to meet them.