Celebrating Dr. King's dream

Sixty years ago this week the historical March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom took place on the Mall of the Nation’s Capital. This historical event drew more than 200,000 participants and became a catalyst for tremendous reforms in civil rights, equality, voting rights, and ending the shameful history of Jim Crow discrimination in the United States. Yet, it is perhaps best known by the speech that culminated the momentous event when, on August 28, 1963 the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and proclaimed to the nation, “I have a dream.”

One of the most prophetic, biblically faithful, culturally relevant, and profoundly transformative speeches in modern history, Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech bent the arc of history toward a greater good for all. In many ways, the reforms called for, and challenges made in, the legendary speech have been realized as some of his dreams have come true. Voting Rights, Civil Rights, and constitutional equality for all have become legal precedents that stemmed from the March and the stated dream of Dr. King. Yet, despite so much historical, legal progress, and genuine advances the nation has seen in the last sixty years, much more needs to be done to fulfil Dr. King’s dream—a dream King would die defending less than five years later.

In today’s political and religious culture much of Dr. King’s dream is under attack by radicals who seek to undermine and disgrace voter rights, destroy ethnic equality, erode freedom, and pervert justice. Rather than defend “the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning: My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrims' pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring.”

Dr. King dreamed of, and died for, a nation where voting rights were guaranteed for all and today many are seeking to deny such rights to people with whom they disagree. Dr. King dreamed of, and died for, a nation where people were judged by the content of their character and today we live in a nation where avowed racists are publicly defended as good people, basic human rights are denounced as criminal offences, defending the dignity of black lives is classified as terrorism, and partisan loyalty is championed as more important than ethics, morality, justice, or human dignity. Today we live in a culture where history is being re-written and distorted to ignore the uncomfortable realities of our American heritage and educators are being sanctioned and censored for teaching historical fact and relevant academic theory.

In recognition of Dr. King’s Dream and the 60^th anniversary of this historical event, the Carlsbad NAACP and Carlsbad Martin Luther King Scholarship Committee will be hosting a free public event commemorating and celebrating the Speech. The event will begin tonight (Sunday, August 27) with a gathering and casual friendship time from 6:00 to 7:00 PM at the Pavilion by the Beach Bandshell. At 7 PM the program will begin with formal welcome and greetings from the MLK Scholarship Committee President and NAACP President. There will be a brief keynote address entitled “The Dream in Context: Reflections of Six Decades and Hope for the Future,” and then a full video screening of Dr. King’s legendary speech. After the screening there will be time for public comment, questions, and discussion. Special thanks go to the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce and the Lodgers Tax for helping make this free public event celebrating freedom, hope, and equality possible.

Please come out and help the people of Carlsbad celebrate a powerful and prophetic moment in our modern history as we come together to joyously proclaim Dr. King’s Dream.

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Celebrating Dr. King's dream