At least once a year thoughts are directed toward the incomparable wisdom of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. whose eloquence and personal leadership remain unparalleled in championing justice through peaceful protest. Ironic, however, is the sad fact that most of his wisdom and challenges in the aggregate remain unheard of. The primary exception being his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, delivered August 28, 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial during the nation’s first massive protest “March on Washington” against segregation.
But dreams are defined basically in two categories: 1) a series of thoughts, images and feelings which come to a person during sleep”-– which describes the societal slumber we have allowed ourselves to slip into as a race (and nation) before being blasted out of our slumber by the current transfer of our National Leadership into totally inexperienced hands!
The second definition of dreams is: “An imaginary vision,” that best defines Dr. King’s dream that triggered his subsequent assassination that attracted world-wide attention-–as will likewise the assassination of all progressive movement within this comparatively new nation to others, superior in age-–with thousands of years of prejudices to overcome. What nation stands as a better model for others to emulate through our progressive public education systems practically from infancy, inclusive now of all nationalities-–also continuously challenged? How numerous the increasing numbers of individual homes being cooperatively built that single families of all nationalities may own their very first private home.
How ironic also, that I write this editorial as our first President of African-American descent is making his final address to this nation. And what more perfect setting for reviewing and revisiting the truths spoken through Dr. Martin Luther King, paramount among which we find: “We have experimented with non-violence in our struggle for racial justice in the United Stated, but now the time has come for man to experiment with non-violence in all areas of human conflict, and that means non-violence on an international scale! Our loyalties must become ecumenical rather than sectional…must transcend race, tribe, class and must develop a world perspective!…Now the judgement of God is (indeed) upon us and we must either live together as brothers or we are all going to perish together as fools… I believe that unarmed troops and love will have the final say!”
Dr. King’s message has just been reiterated in many ways through President Barak Obama’s farewell speech to the nation, championing the collective heart, character, idealism (and we must add) dignity upon which his presidency was introduced, won, championed and historically executed throughout.
In the words of Vice President Joe Biden, “The most presidential family that has ever lived in that White House!”
With the new face of terrorism at home and abroad constantly redefining war, the constant sophistication of destructive weaponry, killing and maiming men, women and children throughout the civilized? world, and the subsequent accelerating exorbitant financial drain on local, state and national coffers, how much more apparent can it be that “The world has definitely become too small for anything but brotherhood, and far too dangerous for anything but peace!