Crossposted from The People's View
When MLK was murdered, I was conceived and swimming in my mother's womb expecting a world of equality in the outside. Almost half a century since the infamous "I have a dream" speech, MLK's dream of tolerance and progress for African Americans is still a dream while some progress have been achieved. It is a 7% upward progress today to be exact as the average African American family income has now reached 63% of the average white family income.
It is no hidden agenda that the overwhelming majority of African Americans still deal with the difficulty to move up the ladder to claim their rightful place in society to fulfill THE DREAM.
African Americans do not live in a post-racial society MLK had wished and dreamed about today. At least not yet. We live in a polarizing society where blatant racism is now institutionalized to have a much broader effect on the minority class of our country.
We still live in a society where "white sounding names have a 50 percent better chance than blacks to be called for interview", where "white job applicants with criminal records having a better chance of being called back for an interview", where "black males with college degrees are almost twice as likely as their white male counterparts to be out of work", where "race-based housing discrimination continues against people of color and blacks are far more likely than whites to have their cars and persons searched after a traffic stop", where race based profiling is not a thing of the past, where our injustice system continues to deprive but promotes modern day enslavement. The list goes on and is not deniable but the DREAM still lives on.
As I had said before, "the beauty about black folks is that we are full of hope. There ain't any kind of money that can buy out the "HOPE" inventory out of Black folks". There has been years of anti-racist and equality hoping, marching, speaking and writing by black folks which often gets silenced" but we are a faithful and hopeful bunch but so is the majority of of the country.
HOPE has been transcending in our history way before MLK. There is a saying that Rosa Sat So Martin Could March, Martin Marched So Barack Could become President and Barack Ran So We All Could Fly. However, The root of our HOPE had been those that sacrificed their lives in ways we would never imagine it today. Watch this video and you will see the root of where MLK came from. Yes, he is his mother's son. That is where his strength comes from.
MLK indeed is a transformational leader that has changed the minds and souls of many to dream and in-vision that something profoundly very wrong with the culture of this country that caused so much pain to African Americans was possible to change with grace, harmony and unity.
And today, his legacy lives on and we celebrate him and salute him. When we elected the First Black President, we have made Dr. King's dream a reality. We elected someone based on the content of his character than the color of his skin. Just as many white folks voted and elected President Obama, there is no doubt about the fact that many did not voted for him because of the color of his skin which is a reminder that change is not something that just happens and requires confronting traditional thinking to change the hearts and minds of people where prejudice has a strong hold on them.
I believe President Obama has listened to this video below a thousand times and spreading the dream and doubling up on it as he has exemplify a united movement doubling up on what Dr. King has said, "many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone."
As to me on this great day...
I do have hope and dreams that my two "little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers".
I do have hope and dreams that "my four [three] children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character".
When 68% of Americans do nothing to commemorate Dr. Kings legacy today, I ask all of you to listen and feel MLK's vision and share the video below to spread the DREAM.
Some pics from public domain and quotes from MLK Speeches:
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We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.
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When you are right you cannot be too radical; when you are wrong, you cannot be too conservative.
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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. Martin Luther King Jr., Speech at Civil Rights March on Washington, August 28, 1963
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Now, I say to you today my friends, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: - 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'
Martin Luther King Jr., Speech at Civil Rights March on Washington, August 28, 1963
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I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. That is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.
Martin Luther King Jr., Accepting Nobel Peace Price, Dec. 10, 1964
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njustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
Martin Luther King Jr., Letter from Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963
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In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.
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Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
Martin Luther King Jr., Strength to Love, 1963
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I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.
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Life's most urgent question is: what are you doing for others?
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Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.
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I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. That is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.
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Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
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Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
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...And I've looked over, and I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land. So I'm happy tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man.
Martin Luther King Jr., Speech in Memphis, April 3, 1968, the day before King was assassinated
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I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. That is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.
Martin Luther King Jr., Accepting Nobel Peace Price, Dec. 10, 1964
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Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.
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