As I study the meaning of the word “united,” my heart begins to become troubled, my eyes water and my mind is confused. Living in these “United States of America,” one would think there would be more unity than division. The name of our country definitely does not fulfill itself “United States.” Also, I live with thoughts of people living in homes that are biblically taught that “A house that is divided will not stand,” and in these homes there is division and chaos. We are living in a world, state, city and in our homes where there is so much division and hatred. Blacks vs. whites, rich vs. poor, gays vs. straight, Christians vs. non-Christians, moms vs. dads and children vs. parents.
On Jan. 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing the slaves, a life-changing event that initiated change and what I would have thought to be unity thereafter. “A house divided against itself cannot stand - I believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free.” - Lincoln.
On Aug. 28, 1963, one hundred years later Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. declared in his “I Have a Dream” speech that “one hundred years later, there was still no freedom. One hundred years later, the life of the some people was still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.”
Dr. King’s dream has now become a reality in many areas of our lives, but not enough to completely fulfill the dream. Forty-seven years later as America has elected its first African American president (Barack Hussein Obama), we still face many racial, social, and religious barriers. You would think that this milestone in history would bring unity and not division within our country.
I may be living in a world of make believe and in a fantasy of a dream that may never be completely fulfilled. But I also have a dream that one day we can break down even more barriers and tear down the walls of hatred that has our world, our country, our cities, our races and in some cases in our homes divided. It’s amazing to see and experience the rapid change in technology, medicine, music and education but is sad to experience the slow movement in change in human interaction. We have made progress but the race is not over lets come together and take a stand in unity; black and white, rich and poor, gay and straight, Christians and non-Christians to win this race. As Dr. King so eloquently put it, “Let us rise up tonight with a greater readiness. Let us stand with a greater determination. And let us move on in these powerful days, these days of challenge to make America what it ought to be. We have an opportunity to make America a better nation.”
Happy birthday, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. R.I.P.
Post a Comment
