Remembering the dream

Tonight, as Barack Obama accepts the Democratic nomination for President, the first African-American in any major party to be his party's standard-bearer, let us remember 45 years ago when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had a dream. The dream has never died, and as Jason noted in his earlier post, we have come a long way in 45 years, but we're not there yet.

Go here to watch the video of Dr. King's speech. You can also find the text of the speech here.

Let us remember Dr. King's words:

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair. I say to you today my friends - so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification - one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

And let us remember that the richness of the American experience comes from its past as a melting pot of various cultures, who have worked together to build this great nation we live in today. Let us all remember that it is our responsibility and our legacy to build a better future for all of our children and grandchildren, regardless of race, creed, color or sexual orientation.

Let us believe in the dream and make it a reality.