16 January 2012

Let us be dissatisfied

I know that the man had several issues that made him not perfect, and really, who doesn't?

Here is a segment from MLK, Jr's "Where Do We Go From Here?" speech at the SCLC conference in August 1967.

I have emphasized segments that stand out to me STILL in 2012.

What I’m saying today is that we must go from this convention and say, “America, you must be born again!” 
And so, I conclude by saying today that we have a task, and let us go out with a divine dissatisfaction. 
Let us be dissatisfied until America will no longer have a high blood pressure of creeds and an anemia of deeds. 
Let us be dissatisfied until the tragic walls that separate the outer city of wealth and comfort from the inner city of poverty and despair shall be crushed by the battering rams of the forces of justice. 
Let us be dissatisfied until those who live on the outskirts of hope are brought into the metropolis of daily security. 
Let us be dissatisfied until slums are cast into the junk heaps of history, and every family will live in a decent, sanitary home. 
Let us be dissatisfied until the dark yesterdays of segregated schools will be transformed into bright tomorrows of quality integrated education. 
Let us be dissatisfied until integration is not seen as a problem but as an opportunity to participate in the beauty of diversity. 
Let us be dissatisfied until men and women, however black they may be, will be judged on the basis of the content of their character, not on the basis of the color of their skin.  Let us be dissatisfied. 
Let us be dissatisfied until every state capitol will be housed by a governor who will do justly, who will love mercy, and who will walk humbly with his God. 
Let us be dissatisfied until from every city hall, justice will roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream. 
Let us be dissatisfied until that day when the lion and the lamb shall lie down together, and every man will sit under his own vine and fig tree, and none shall be afraid. 
Let us be dissatisfied, and men will recognize that out of one blood God made all men to dwell upon the face of the earth. 
Let us be dissatisfied until that day when nobody will shout, “White Power!” when nobody will shout, “Black Power!” but everybody will talk about God’s power and human power.

We still have work to do.  I'm not a proponent of some of the Civil Rights ideology, but I do believe that people should be treated well, that people should have the opportunity to be better in all aspects of their lives.

Unfortunately, this is still not so.

3 comments:

  1. Yeah, we still have a way to go...

    ReplyDelete
  2. We should never stop reaching for the stars, only when we dream can we make change!

    ReplyDelete
  3. @ Kathy G and @ Lucy - so true on both of your statements.

    Keep not only dreaming, but taking steps to make the dreams come true.

    ReplyDelete

I share my thoughts and would love to read your thoughts, too.