In 2007, living in the Northern states, Martin Luther King Jr. sometimes seems rather like a figure that was important to somebody else, but not to me. But the truth is that King’s dream of equality, for all men and women, all races, creeds, ages, abilities, and beginnings is just as relevant today as it was when he made his famous “I have a Dream” speech in 1963.
Today, as I write, people all over the world, even in our own country, are not being treated with equality. The elderly are ignored and mistreated. The unborn (that’s right, I’m saying it!) are killed off under the title of “mass of tissue”. The poor are not fed. Foster children are beaten by those who should love them. Money is squandered on the unimportant while people die for lack of medicine. The rich become richer, as the poor become poorer. We are belittled for our beliefs. We are looked down upon for our religions. And we call ourselves equal, when we are not.
Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream. We should also share in that dream. Not that signs saying, “Whites Only” should be taken down, for that was accomplished years ago. But that through love, we should truly be equal with those around us. That we should not discriminate against each other on a one on one basis, but that we should build each other up, help each other, and be filled through and through with charity.
This should be our dream, until the day when poor and rich, young and old, tired and athletic, black and white, hungry and fed, straight and gay, every creation of God will help each other and, in the words of that good man we are remembering here, “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!”
And what is it we are free from? Only this: The bonds that we ourselves are wrapped in when we allow ourselves to hate instead of love.
“With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:
My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,
From every mountainside, let freedom ring!
And if
America is to be a great nation, this must become true.” - Martin Luther King Jr., August 1963
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I really like what you had to say here.
You're right about humankind not being treated equal and how it extends beyond race and sex. We were all made equal. No one is better than anyone else. It's something that I am sensitive of since I am the daughter of a former military man and my dad was adopted. I'm concerned with the mistreatment of the elderly, the abuse of children who are unwanted, not to mention the murders of the unborn, especially since I see that people seem to care more about animals and the environment (yes, we should care about them, too), than about their fellow man. It's only going to get worse unless we all recognize it and do something about it.
Thank you for reminding us by posting this. I appreciate it.
Although he did a lot to mend America to the point where he lost his own life for it I still believe that we blow him out of proportion. I mean there are plenty of other guys in history that deserve the same amount of publicity but dont.
Lets look at President Lincoln. He was the leader of the Union forces in the Civil war which was a critical turning point for the nation (my thoughts on the Civil war are most likly different then yours but that is a totally different subject). He also was assassinated while in office but yet he really has no publicity outside a history class.
http://www.colbertnation.com/
http://www.NRA.org/
We celebrate Lincoln's birthday, too. Ever hear of President's Day? Martin Luther King is, perhaps, brought to attention more often because he lived not too long ago. There aren't any people left that were around during the Civil War. Plus, everyone knows who Abraham Lincoln was. He's on the penny and the five dollar bill. There's a huge memorial built to him. His name is all over the place. Less and less children know who MLK was.
Really though, it doesn't matter that much. I personally am not celebrating the man. I am celebrating the ideal that he stood for.
President's day is for all past presidents. So there for one day represents many people. Why have a MLK day since we have a Black History Month. I mean it is the same idea isnt it? One day to represent a group and not a single person.
Just because Lincoln is on money does not even have any relevance to what he did for the country. All the money does is tell the kids he was a president.
As far as not knowing MLK, if I remember correctly, his story was pounded in childrens heads (much like mine) throughout their schooling. I just think he is over rated. Was he a good man? Yes. Does he deserve all of this publicity? No.
For some reason people tend to over look the fact that he was a criminal. He had the black population pretty much form a cult and break the laws. Granted the laws might have been rediculous but he was still a criminal.
http://www.colbertnation.com/
http://www.NRA.org/
I like the message that Martin Luther King JR brought to us... here is what I hate...
Today the kids had off from school. I asked them "Brandon, why did you have today off from school?" - "I don't know. Some dead guy had a birthday"..."What was his name?" - "Why should I care, he's dead"..."Well, then why do we celebrate his birthday?" - "I guess cause there aren't any other birthdays on today and someone has to have a birthday."
Faith had basically the same answers.
Why celebrate the holiday and give students the day off if we aren't even going to teach them what it's about?
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"Dream as though you'll live forever, but live as though there's no tomorrow" --James Dean
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