Fifty Years, And Still Dreaming

August 28, 1963 was a turning point in American history.  A speech given by an Alabama preacher turned activist, eloquently articulated the hopes and dreams of millions of Americans. That, 'my little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color or their skin, but by the content of their character'.

Over the years, I have heard a number of different stories of how that iconic speech came about.  Some say that Dr. King's prepared remarks had blown away from the podium in the afternoon wind.  Others claim that a woman in the front of the crowd shouted, "Tell them about the dream", referring to a sermon given in Detroit earlier in the year.  One thing is certain:  The majority of King's sixteen minutes on stage were ad-libbed.




On the surface, it may appear that in 50 years, King's dream has been realized.  But, look closer.

When authorities are faced with the necessity of listing an offense as a "hate crime", we are still dreaming.  When politicians rush through so-called "voter ID laws", in order to make voting more difficult for minority voters, we are still dreaming.  When African-Americans make up only 13% of the general population, but account for 40% of our nation's prison population, we are still dreaming.

So long as the United States has over 1,000 active hate groups, our dream will not come true.  So long as political pundits and commentators are able to make a living, shamelessly race baiting and fear mongering, our dream will never come true.  So long as police are given authority to "stop and frisk" a person, simply for the crime of looking suspicious not being white, we are still dreaming.

It's difficult not to take a "glass half empty" look at civil rights and race relations.  Yes, in 50 years, we have taken many steps forward.  But, at times, it's almost as if we've taken twice as many back.

44 Years Ago

Photos: Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

The MLK memorial in Washington D.C., was scheduled to be dedicated yesterday, on the 48th anniversary of King's "I Have a Dream" speech.  With landfall of Hurricane Irene this previous weekend on the East coast, the dedication has been rescheduled to a date "yet to be determined in September or October".  In the meantime, take a look a number of photos of this awe inspiring memorial.

At 29 feet tall, the Stone of Hope is the centerpiece of the memorial.

The Stone of Hope is made to appear as if it is coming out of the Mountain of Despair.

The entire memorial complex sits on four acres.  It is surrounded by numerous paths, lined by cherry trees.

The walls lining the paths are inscribed with quotes from King's life.  They are illuminated at night.

The memorial had a "soft opening" on Thursday of last week, meaning it was open to became open to the public.  The dedication is just a formality, in which the President, civil rights leaders and dignitaries make speeches and pose for the cameras.  It is quite a memorial.  Makes a beautiful addition to Washington D.C.

Today, We All Have A Dream

Why Today Is A National Holiday

On a sweltering August day in 1963, an estimated 300,000 people gathered at the National Mall in Washington D.C. seeking change. A change in attitude. A change in standards. A change in life. When the sun came up that morning, many men spoke on their behalf. By sundown, the world only knew the name of one: "Brother Martin".

He was a popular preacher and activist in the South. He had already seen his share of protest and persecution. He was so popular amongst those in attendance, in fact, that he was asked to speak last. Organizers feared that most of the crowd would leave if he had spoken earlier in the day. The program that day had run long. He was asked to give a few, final encouraging words to cap the day off, and to keep it short. He had prepared a speech; no more than five minutes of speaking.

On that breezy Summer afternoon, fate had other plans for him. A few moments into his speech, the wind blew his prepared remarks from the podium. Martin paused for a moment. What followed was the turning point of the civil rights era:



It took a signature the next year from President Johnson to bring about civil rights legislation. It took much more than a signature to change the minds and hearts of many Americans in the years to follow. Brother Martin died from an assassin's bullet less than five years after his "I have a dream" speech.

If not for Dr. King and his speech, the term African-American would not exist. A little boy named Barack Obama would not have had the opportunity to go to Harvard Law School and become President of the United States. Americans would not be donating by the hundreds of millions to a tiny nation of former African slaves.

Thank you Dr. King.

National Equality March Draws 500,000

They were told that their presence would be a waste of time. Even Barney Frank, an openly gay Congressman, and perhaps the biggest ally the LGBT community have in Washington, told them to stay home. He said their energy would be better spent lobbying their elected officials rather than standing in Washington D.C.



They came anyway. By the tens, and hundreds of thousands.

Now, especially now, the message needed to be sent to the rest of America: "We're here. We're queer. Get used to it." The religious and conservative right have been treating the LGBT community like a disease in recent years, with bigotry and hatred and fear not seen since the initial outbreak of the AIDS virus. Pushing lies in the media, making them out to be adulterers, pedophiles, and much worse.

A picture is worth a thousand words. A video is worth so much more. When the videos from today's events start pouring in on the various news organizations, on Youtube, and in emails, I really hope something amazing happens. I hope people see the old men and women holding hands. The couples that have been together since the 40s but have just now been in an environment where they could make their relationship public. I hope they see the children...the families...how many HAPPY, NORMAL families are parented by same sex mommies and daddies. And, I hope they see the love. This isn't about pleasure. It's about love. For god's sake, they just want to love each other and be able to express it in the same way you and I do. What's the big deal.

Frankly (no pun intended), I disagree with Mr. Frank. Although today's march may not directly make a change in Washington, it will call attention to an issue. Martin Luther King Jr. had people gather at that very same location almost 45 years ago, for the very same reason, equal rights. He knew that standing there that day wouldn't change a thing, but the world would take notice. And they did. So, again today, the world will take notice. And, if history repeats itself, like it so often does, change will be made.