our dreams

the rev. dr. martin luther king, jr. passionately believed in america. he believed that america was filled with grace and beauty and hope. however, dr. king also passionately argued that america failed american blacks. he argued that america had failed its sacred obligation to protect all of its children.

today, we must remember his dream. however, we also must remember that dr. king's dream was a sharp and serious rebuke to violent, systemic inequality. we must remember that king was nonviolent, but he was not passive. he said, "the negro is making it palpably clear that he wants all of his rights, that he wants them here, and that he wants them now."

citizen king, a recent pbs documentary, chronicles the public career of rev. dr. martin luther king, jr. the film specifically focuses on his final years. today, dr. king is most remembered for his early political success, including influence on the civil rights act of 1964 and the voting rights act of 1965. however, we often forget that king forcefully placed civil rights within the context of poverty and social justice.

during the late 1960's, dr. king moved to chicago to spearhead the poor peoples' campaign. the poor peoples' campaign was based on the universal declaration of human rights (1948). for example, dr. king specifically believed that systemic poverty was a gross violation of inalienable rights. in 1968, he declared, " all labor has dignity. . . [we] are reminding the nation that it is a crime for people to live in this rich nation and receive starvation wages."

king was increasingly angry and frustrated. he explained: "it didn't cost the nation one penny to integrate lunch counters. it didn't cost the nation one penny to guarantee the right to vote. but now, we are dealing with issues that cannot be solved without the nation spending billions of dollars and undergoing a radical redistribution of economic power."

while king rallied against inequality, he continued to believe in the "redeeming soul of america." america can be our dreams. we have made important strides in legal integration. however, class continues to segregate education, employment, health care, and housing. for example, surveys consistently report that roughly 25% of children in the united states live in poverty.

i, too, dream of america. but, we are not yet our dreams.