Monday, January 16, 2006

mlk day

just in case you have never heard or read the entire "i have a dream" speech by martin luther king, jr., here is a great link with audio and text:

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/Ihaveadream.htm

how would mlk feel if he were alive today? would he think that progress has been made in the areas of civil rights and equality? i'm tempted to think not, if we judge today's situation by the standards that he set out in his speech:

"There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until 'justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.'"

other than the desegregation of hotels and restaurants (thank you, commerce clause) and the fact that african americans can now vote in mississippi, but apparently not in presidential elections in florida, what has changed? this country has let dr. king down. this country has let itself down. we owe dr. king and ourselves much more.

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