Today is a special occasion, special because of a man and his universal message of freedom, hope and faith in humankind. This day marks more than the birth date of a man that stood for equal rights for black Americans. It honors the themes of Dr. King’s timeless call for equality among men, a call for America to live up to those ideals expressed by the founding fathers in the Declaration of Independence and a method to reach that goal without violence.
Dr. King believed. Dr. King had faith and reminded us of the fatherhood of God, and the universal brotherhood of man. He declared that a truly free and just society judges a man by the “content of his character rather than the color of his skin.” Though white supremacists, law enforcement and even the U.S. intelligence community conspired to silence his voice, he persevered. Against all odds, he kept walking and preaching. The fear that must have pervaded folks that joined him in his long walks across the southern part of America, the death and injury inflicted upon him and his followers, the resistance of certain members of white America are and have always been a national disgrace.
I have a dream. I have a dream that the hate will end, that fairness and goodwill between ALL races and ethnicities of America will inevitably prevail. Thank you, Dr. King.