How far have we come since that speech was given by Dr. Martin Luther King almost 47 years ago? Has Dr. King’s dream been fulfilled or even come close? Has prejudice been stamped out or is it seething right beneath the surface? The term ‘racism’ is still thrown about, perhaps more than it was during Dr. King’s day. Has it become a catch all?
Stop! Doesn’t having an African-American president satisfy the dream? We no longer have segregation. Or do we? Is there invisible segregation and if so, whose fault is it? Perhaps we don’t even want to answer these questions. Perhaps they make us as uncomfortable as discussing what Harry Reid meant by ‘Negro dialect.’
Finally, could the door to equality have ever been opened through the legislative process? Was it necessary for the Courts to open the door? I remember seeing “Impeach Earl Warren” signs as a kid. Were those the forerunners of the expression’ Judicial activism?’
For those of us who missed the speech in August, 1963…
