Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with Love

When I think about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., there are several words that come to mind: civility, equality, respect, love, service, and community to name a few.  I’m proud to be a part of a Company that leads with Heart—and even has the letters “LUV” as our NYSE stock symbol. Caring for our People and following the Golden Rule are part of our DNA at Southwest Airlines. 

Today is a great reminder of the responsibility we each have to do our part to show kindness to one another and to embrace civility, even in difficult times. It seems like each day in the news I hear about issues that will personally affect our Employees or Customers, and I know that those feelings can sometimes create division.

Dr. King once said, “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.” These are just a few of the many powerful and impactful words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and I think they are a great reminder that even though our differences may separate us, love is an incredibly powerful force. We have seen great devastation brought on by natural disasters and senseless violence in recent months, and in the wake of these tragedies, I’ve been humbled by the selfless actions of our Employees and Customers to support—in many cases—people they’ve never even met.

I hope that we can all come together and be reminded today—and every day—of the importance of demonstrating civility to all we encounter.