Today is January 17, 2005. It is the third Monday of the month. Banks are closed. The Post Office is as well. I don't have class. But why? Do you know? Do you really know?

Sure, its Martin Luther King Day. So? So what? Do you remember learning about him in school? Do you remember his life? Do you know what he did? What a brave, remarkable, amazing, gentleman he was? Do you know what he died for?

It seems when you look back in history there are numerous people to learn from. People that were striving for a change. People making things different. Doing things, making things better not only for themselves but for others. And never for commercial glory or photo opportunities but for others and for themselves because they felt it was the right thing to do. They acted so to better the huddled masses lot in life; to change the State of the Nation. I take a look around today and I see no great people like this. No great someone standing up for what is right. No one taking charge. Organizing. Striving for a change. And this is simply not because America, or any other nation for that matter, doesn't need to change. We do. We all do. So where is our Martin Luther King now? Where is a solid rock to stand against injustice, to stand frankly, for anything? Where is there someone who can influence and educate the masses with truth? Bring hope for justice and equality. Is it just me? Do I not see them? Will my children study history and find them in my past? The problem MLK faced in his "I Have a Dream" speech given in 1963 is still alive and roaring. Why, after all this time, has the problem not been vindicated? Why do people still breed hate? What can you do about it?

I think it rest within the path of the future. It rests within you. Your choices, your actions. How you teach your children and they teach theirs. The solution should be so simple. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Maybe, perhaps, not even that. How about the charge to treat everyone with equality. Is it that hard? And is the concept that foreign? Certainly not.

In an age when we have become so technologically advanced it seems the nations manners haven't changed to what King had dreamt about. We are certainly better off now but great strides can still be made to achieve MLK's "great nation". I hope you will all do your part so that it becomes true. 0 comments