Will Dr. King's Dream ever come true?
 

I hope so, I wish that during my lifetime that this world will change and that people will stop judging other's based on the color of their skin.

I guess when people are not "forced" to only live in certain city/neighborhoods (housing discrimination) or when going into a store are not followed or sterotyped based on their skin color thing will start to change.

I guess when racist are seen as terrorists in this country then maybe our President will fight hard to improve things in this country.

But until then I guess those who want to change this country (myself included) have to work harder to achieve Dr. King's dream.

I think only when people quit being afraid of someone or something different, will we see "The Dream" start to become reality. You can pass legislation out the wazoo, but until people realize the truth behind equality, it won't happen.

There have been baby steps, to be sure, but surely the greatest country in the world can do better than that!

I think you're right. The phrase "you can't legislate morality" is true. The real changes in this country have to come from within each and every individual. The reason the suffering occured for so long is that there were too many INDIVIDUALS who harbored racism and their being the numerical majority alone, let alone political majority, allowed the government to condone the actions of those people. The government is merely an entity comprised of people and if it weren't for the hate and evil in the hearts of so many people, the government wouldn't have had to ability to sanction so much horrible behavior. So now that the government has officially removed itself from the equation, the responsibility is on individual persons to change themselves and not allow their own actions to further the suffering of people who have already had to put up with so much for so long.

In the end, as a Christian, that is what I believe each and every person's role in this world is anyway. Each person has to account for the thoughts and actions and ways of his heart to God and no matter what the government does or does not do, each person has the ability to take his own stand (or not) and make a difference (or not).

Re: Will Dr. King's Dream ever come true?
 

I have some hope.

Last night at supper, we asked MysticCat Jr, an 8-year-old second grader to explain to his 5-year-old sister who MLK was and why we were remembering him. (We didn't tell him he was also completing some Cub Scout advancement requirements by having a discussion on courage, standing for what's right when it's not popular, and acting in accordance with religious beliefs.) Ms MysticCat and I were very impressed at (1) how much he knew and how well he explained it all to his sister, and (2) his reactions to what things used to be like, such as complete disbelief at the idea of segregated schools. (He was surprised when I told him that I didn't go to an integrated school until fifth grade.) When we brought up the fact that MLK was a minister and that he drew on his beliefs in fighting for equality, MysticCat Jr responded by asking: "What about all the people who didn't like what he was doing? Didn't they read the part about all people being created in the image of God?"

All in all, it gave me hope.

My town and yours is probably run over by Chinese restaurants, Patel-owned motels, Korean groceries, and ethnic establishments - most run by first generation immigrants. These people have worked hard, supported one another with advice, loans, and patronage, and live the American dream.

Some others think the dream is a winning lottery ticket, thug culture and music, sperm-donating absent daddies, and a welfare check.

In other words, the successful groups are relying on themselves.

The unsuccessful think someone else, and more of someone else's money, and some more legislation, and slogans, are the only path to success.

To summarize: DO IT YOURSELF.

Just when I was feeling encouraged by MysticCat81's post, I read this one and began to wonder all over again.:(

So True.

I agree with you. I feel sorry for them that they lump people into one group.

I meant to encourage you to do it yourself.

That's the only way.

i think that one thing that might help us on the way, would be if people wouldn't separate themselves by ethnicity. in other words, i think that when people quit saying, "i am a black (or african) american, an asian american, a latin american, etc. and just say, " i am an american", that will help.

i try to do that myself by describing what a person is wearing, or what they said, or what they did, rather than saying, "oh you remember, the black woman", or "the asian man". like honey said, baby steps are a start, and will get us on the way.

While I am all for self-empowerment, a large part of Dr. King's message was that we need to eliminate the societal conditions that create the situation that you originally described (conditions that often do not affect many immigrants, esp. European and Asian immigrants). If you have missed this point then I am forced to think that we are a ways off from truly achieving his dream.

Damn. I don't even know where to begin.

I don't think that he missed the point, its more that people like him refuse to SEE the point. Remember in my first post when I said the problem is in the numbers of individuals who don't get it and perpetuate the hatred? Here ya go. Now you know, and I know you know because we all see people who think like him around everyday, that this wall of ignorance that he represents is a large part of why no change or at the very least very little change is occurring in this area of society. They think well the laws changed so everything is fine, when the changing of the laws was just the tip of the tip of the iceberg.

Exactly! These are the mindsets that keep us rooted in place. How can we ever truly address these issues if people refuse to admit that it is more than mere individual laziness that causes them?

I agree. The only way is for people to change the way they think. And I've seen some encouraging signs, but you really have to wonder how much has really changed when you hear people refer to MLK Day as...well, something else.