WHEN WILL HIS DREAM BE A REALITY?

Yesterday was the born day of a great man, a man that had a profound impact on all Americans be it good or bad, yesterday we celebrated the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  On August 23, 1963, Dr. King delivered one of the most memorable speeches in history, I HAVE A DREAM!

Almost 50 years later and the question is asked, When Will His Dream Be a Reality?

"But one hundred years later, we must face the tragic fact that the Negro is still not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. So we have come here today to dramatize an appalling condition."  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Now I can say 150 years later, we face the tragic fact that the African American is still not free.  Amazingly, to myself and countless others, most African Americans don't realize they are not free.  If one of us is not free, we are all still enslaved!!!!  150 years later, we are still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.  Yes 150 years later,  I live in a highly segregated city, the beautiful Chicago, I see discrimination everyday in education, economic equality, jobs, accessible health care, accessible fresh foods.  We are still in exile in our own land.  The hardest thing to be in America is a black man!!!! Why because he is hated, feared, and is taught to hate and fear himself.  Which not only makes him a danger to society but a danger to himself.

Almost 50 years after Dr. King's speech and I feel that we as African Americans are more divided than we were in 1963, I could be wrong for I wasn't there but again I ask, When Will His Dream Be A Reality?  Everything Dr. King spoke of in his speech are still going on today.

Sure more of us are going to college, starting businesses, and seeing a piece of the American Dream and that has led many of us to become complacent.  We look at those whom haven't accomplished these things with judgmental eyes saying if I did it, you can do it too.  This is absolutely true BUT how are you and I helping others to make it? What is our contribution? What are we giving back?  How are we making an impact in our communities?  When is the last time we marched? Protested? Boycotted?  Why is it that we gave up the fight for justice and equality?

We have let the thought of desegregation and the facade that we are now together and equal trick many of us.  This very day we still deal with the evils of slavery, people using the word nigger in a derogatory way, the radio personality that call the female basketball team nappy headed hoes, a girl having to share her spot as valedictorian because no black person had achieved such academic heights at her school and the whites would be upset, black men are still being hunted and killed...dare I even say lynched, students being denied access to certain schools and universities, people's resumes being thrown in the garbage because of their name, our children are not learning about their own history and culture in schools, school systems in certain districts still segregated.....I could go on and on....

As I write this blog I'm listening to Dr. King's speech and admittedly this is my first time actually listening to the entire speech.  As I listen and read the words I am amazed that it is 50 years later and this speech is still very true and relevant to the current condition of the no longer negro but the now African American.  I think we mistook desegregation with justice, equality, and freedom.  By no means do I have any true answer to this question, I do have some suggestions but I leave you with the question again,

WHEN WILL HIS DREAM BE A REALITY?


Be a blessing and be blessed! Namaste! Peace! Love! Blessings! Happiness! Joy! Self-Control