We Can Do This!!

From the words of a brave and prophetic man, Dr. M. L King, Jr., I have submitted excerpts from his great I Have Dream speech.

“It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. 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 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. And if America is to be a great nation this must become true.”

This speech was made at the March on Washing in August 28, 1963. Dr. King was assassinated just short of 5 years later on April 4, 1968 by James Earl Ray. Dr. King’s autopsy revealed that even though he was only thirty-nine years old, he had the heart of a sixty-year-old man, maybe a possible result of the stress of thirteen years in the civil rights movement. I find that interesting.

These are certainly bone-chilling, poignant and inspirational words that were once criticized during those turbulent times in our nation’s history. We are moving slowly in accepting them and truly practicing them. But one thing that is sure, we are moving forward despite some of those that would like for us to repeat the past. Please take the time and let these words sink in. We are all Americans and all of us regardless of our skin color, cultures religions, and etc., have made the supreme sacrifice for this wonderful country.