Look Beyond The Dream
Dr. Martin Luther King was born on January 15, 1929. He was a great man. He dedicated his life to the fight to end white supremacy in America. He is famous for the I Have a Dream Speech, but in truth his ideas were very radical. He didn’t live or die for social integration. He lived and died to end economic, legal and social stratification in America.
He was not against talking to power. He just believed in telling people in power the truth. Dr. King spoke to people. He knew we all have the power to change ourselves. Dr. King spoke to political and economic institutions. He knew that institutions have the power to change as well.
Today, people will talk about the dream, but few will talk about the change. Steve Harvey, Jim Brown and others have met with President – elect Trump. This fact has unnerved some. I believe Dr. King would have met with Donald Trump. The meeting with Trump is not the problem. The question is this - do the people meeting with Trump have the courage to speak the truth to Trump?
Today, people will talk about the so - called black church. Bishop Eddie Long, Kim Burrell and Bishop Wayne T. Jackson are apart of this church. Yet, they all primarily used religion to profit personally. Dr. King used his faith to call for an end to poverty, oppose all forms of oppression and demand more of elected officials.
Today, people will talk about the future of America. Indeed, many of us worry about the future of this country. Still, Dr. King reminds us that the future of America is in our hands. We must use boycotts, civil disobedience, protest and other tactics to surgically remove racism, economic oppression and the evils of materialism and militarism from soul of this nation.
Today, as we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., it is time to look beyond the dream.
