Monday, January 18, 2010
I have a dream...
We interupt this regularly scheduled weekend update to remind you of the greatness of Martin Luther King. No matter your race, no matter your religion, King had great influence.
What feels like many moons ago, I had the privledge of meeting and befriending an older white gentlemen who attended the August 28, 1963 march at Washington, D.C. He was changed forever by the experience and to the day he died considered it to be one of the greatest moments of his life.
If you are home from work today remember why. If you are home with your children because they are off of school today, teach them why.
"I say to you today, my friends, so 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."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little 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.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with.
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.
This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a 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. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!"
Martin Luther King, Jr.
January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968
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About Me
- kisatrtle
- I'm a 41 year old (gasp) freelance writer, school cafeteria manager, wife and mother. I have three children and one anxious and overweight beagle. I use my blog to make others laugh, to share some cool crafts, to document my lunchlady adventures and to lament about the challenges faced by us all on the journey called life. Thanks for visiting. Please leave some crack...um...I meant some comments.
5 random thoughts:
beautiful...great reminder, we all need to remember the dream and help it come true
awesome, awesome, awesome post. i love this.
Thank you for posting this monumental speech. It's such an important day for all of us to remember this dedicated man who spoke and lived with faith and vision.
I first heard this speech in my sixth grade drama class (of all places.) It gave me chills then, as it did when I just read it. Thank you for posting this as a reminder to us that we never need to forget the dream!
For those of us who lived through the turmoil that was the 60's, the words still ring strong.