List of Previous Titles

Sunday, June 8, 2008

The Maturing of America










Dr. Martin Luther King, jr had a Dream

The following excerpts are taken from the world famous speech of Dr. Martin Luther King, jr, as delivered in 1963. It is by courtesy of The Douglas Archives of American Public Address, prepared by D. Oetting.(Access full speech at http://douglass.speech.nwu.edu)

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

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

“Let freedom ring. And when this happens, and when we allow freedom to ring- when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children-black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics-will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty we are free at last!

Hillary, Obama, or John, are all would-be Presidents of the United States of America. Whoever wins in November, America itself has already won in the Court of Public Opinion around the world. America appears to have grown up and is trying to fulfill its promise that anyone can aspire to become president.

These are historic times. I remember the days of protest for equal rights. I remember the days when women in America stood up and declared, “ no more! We will no longer accept second class citizen status.” For black people the journey has been both exceedingly long and dramatic. Beginning from the days of slavery and lynching, discrimination, police beatings, economic suppression, degradation, and marginalization, to acceptance as a serious candidate for the office of President of the United States of America. Most of that progress has taken place in my own lifetime. I simply never believed I would live to see this day.

Other black people have tried seriously to be considered, as have other women, but America has always been stuck with the mindset that you had to be white and male to have any chance of success to occupy The White House. Even the name of the building reflected one of the basic qualifications for the office.

But America has learned a lesson about discrimination and prejudice. In the practise of these two acts we often harm ourselves. We turn our backs on the best qualified, accepting only those who fall into a shallow defined group of approved candidates, and America got what it deserved. It inflicted upon itself white men who were incompetent, stupid, sleazy, dishonourable, and crooks. Of course, it also got some who were exceptionally talented and very progressive for the country.

It is indeed time for change; an idea whose time has come and it will not be denied. Barak Obama has been declared the official candidate of the Democratic Party, and that all by itself is history. Congratulations! America. In order to make that happen the country as a majority has had to throw off its shameful history.

But! And this is a very big But! Let’s not be totally complacent and naive and expect that absolutely everyone in America is on board with this revolution. No doubt at this very moment there are very dark forces conspiring to turn back the clock. Whatever happens, the tide will not be turned back. There’s to be no going back to the way it was. There may have to be several attempts to make the idea stick, but stick it will.

Should Barak Obama be elected as the first black president of the U.S. that will achieve several things other than the barriers that he will have toppled. It will do things for women as well, especially if he does as is expected and asks Hillary Clinton to be his vice-president. It will significantly elevate the position of black women in the U.S. too, as his wife will become First Lady.

Personally, I would not advise taking Clinton on as VP, because that almost certainly would encourage a whole different group to go after him just so she gets to succeed him as president. I would recommend that he choose another black man, or woman. Too bad Condoleeza Rice is a Republican.

On a strictly political viewpoint, I personally do not envy whoever inherits the mess that the outgoing incumbent will leave. The task will not be an easy one. In fact it may be impossible for any future president for many years to come to be able to look good in office, such is the enormity of the task ahead.

So good luck to them all, and good luck to America. These are very exciting times indeed. Let the dream be realised, and America can finally say, “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty we’re Free at Last!

Copyright © 2008 Eugene Carmichael