THE DREAM

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and
live out the true meaning of its creed --- "We hold these these
truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the
sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be
able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a
desert state sweltering with the heat of injustice and
oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and
justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day
live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of
their skin but by the content of their character”.

You most likely recognize these words from Martin Luther Kings Jr. famous “I have a dream” speech spoken on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963. It has become one of the most inspiring declarations given in our nations history.

As a boy growing up in the Detroit area I can remember the impact this speech had on the community I lived in during the decade of racial tension. I can remember the race riots in the late 60’s with the fire’s raging in downtown Detroit.

I remember the day that Dr. King was murdered and the stress it brought to the neighborhoods I lived in outside Detroit. I can remember the words of my teachers as they tried their best to explain what was taking place throughout our country.

The 1960’s will always be, in my mind, the decade that taught my generation the hard lessons of race relations and how hatred for others can destroy a society.

Well, here we are in the 21st century and we are seeing racial hatred raise its ugly head again. Recently, we have seen news reports of hangman ropes being left on the doors of African Americans. Connecticut, as the news reported this morning, is being tagged with the bulk of these acts of hatred. It breaks my heart to think that we as a society still have not learned the important lesson that “all men are created equal”.

It is a true shame that we still judge others by the color of their skin and not the content of their character. It is even sadder to think that a society that has seen the results of racial bigotry has not learned that hatred allowed to continue will lead to the next generation reliving the past.

So, how can we stop this from infecting the kids of tomorrow? How do we teach our children that we are not to judge others based on their color?

One, begin early in our children’s lives to teach that all people are a divine creation by God. Every child born into this world is a gift from God not only to their parents, but to society as a whole.

Second, never lower our conversation and allow talk of prejudice and bigotry. Some think that racial jokes are innocent and just part of our culture. But in reality racial humor is just the opposite. It is not funny and proves the lack of intellect in the person sharing the joke.

Third, teach respect for all. Teach that one of the strengths of America is its diversity. As we look around our schools, our places of worship and even our local shopping Mall we witness the greatness of our nation with a diverse ethnic mix.

The scriptures tell us to “love our neighbor as we love ourselves.” Gods’ divine word has no exclusion clause for those who do not look like us. May racial hatred one day be removed from our thoughts and emotions. May we pass on to the next generation a true love for all