As the country rapidly diversifies, Republicans are presenting a convention that is almost entirely white. To a large extent, the Republican Party still is — The White-Bigot Party.
Only 36 of the 2,380 delegates seated on the convention floor are black. One week after Democrats nominated the nation’s first black presidential candidate on the eve of the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, Republicans have only one African American — Fox News’ resident Uncle Tom Michael S. Steele — scheduled to speak last night during prime time at their convention.
As McCain’s 96 year old mother gazed listlessly into the rafters of the convention hall and with ReTHUGlicans and a sprinkling of ReTHUGliTOMS salivating like hungry, poisonous black mambas,…. and howling like a pack of hyenas, Sarah ‘Barracuda‘ Palin delivered a heavily choreographed speech, designed to rally the THUG/BIGOT base of the Republican party.
The speech was delivered right after MAFIA GOON — the former mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani had finished mocking, insulting and mis-representing Obama’s positions…. and topping it up with a dose of 9/11 fear-mongering.
Rudy Giuliani “The Goon” Rips Into Obama
[Note:During his two "Iron Fist" terms as Mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani in concert with his police force THUG-HANDLED minorities with "Mafia Viciousness." -- the most notorious events of Giuliani's tenure, included the execution-style killing of Amadou Diallo and the sadistic torture of Abner Louima -- by Giuliani's police force.] — see more info below.
At the beginning of her speech I sensed some tension in her, but the “Killer From Wasilla” unwinded and got more comfortable as the speech progressed.
She spoke of her family, including her eldest son, who is about to be deployed to Iraq in the US Army, and her younger son, who has Down’s Syndrome.
In the speech, she assailed Obama, Biden and the “Liberal” media: “I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a “community organizer,” except that you have actual responsibilities. I might add that in small towns, we don’t quite know what to make of a candidate who lavishes praise on working people when they are listening, and then talks about how bitterly they cling to their religion and guns when those people aren’t listening.” “We tend to prefer candidates who don’t talk about us one way in Scranton and another way in San Francisco.”
Read…..working people — how bitterly they cling to their religion and guns ……is a direct appeal to the White BIGOT VOTE.
The Barracuda (reading a speech prepared by McCain’sTHUGS) went on to mis-represent and mock Obama’s record, lying about her own at the same time, and smothering everything with heavy doses of recycled Republican Fear-Mongering.
“And there is much to like and admire about our opponent.” But listening to him speak, it’s easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform - not even in the state senate.”
This could be America’s next Vice-President
This is a man who can give an entire speech about the wars America is fighting, and never use the word “victory” except when he’s talking about his own campaign.”
“But when the cloud of rhetoric has passed … when the roar of the crowd fades away … when the stadium lights go out, and those Styrofoam Greek columns are hauled back to some studio lot - what exactly is our opponent’s plan?”
“What does he actually seek to accomplish, after he’s done turning back the waters and healing the planet?” The answer is to make government bigger … take more of your money … give you more orders from Washington … and to reduce the strength of America in a dangerous world.”
“America needs more energy … our opponent is against producing it….,” said Sarah.
Towards the end of the speech, when she got more comfortable, “Dame Sarah” changed gears, dishing out “time-tested” Republican insults: “Taxes are too high!” . . . “Obama will raise your taxes!” . . . “Tax increases!” . . . “He will raise income taxes!” … “He will raise payroll taxes!” … “He will raise investment income taxes!” … “He will raise the death tax!” . . . “He will raise business taxes!” . . . ["Big Government!"] . . . ["Obama will KILL YOU!"] . . . ["Obama is a MUSLIM"] . . . ["Obama is a Kenyan Communist!"] . . . ["The Terrorists are here .. in this hall!"] . . . ["I'll create more jobs!"] . . . ["I'll cut the deficit!"] . . . ["I'll start the war!"] . . . ["I'll keep those Negroes in their place!"]……LOL!, pure PoliTRICKS!
Meanwhile — Overheard: Obama might pursue criminal charges against Bush
Democratic vice-presidential nominee Joe Biden said yesterday that he and running mate Barack Obama could pursue criminal charges against the Bush administration if they are elected in November. Biden’s comments, first reported by ABC news, attracted little notice on a day dominated by the drama surrounding his Republican counterpart, Alaska governor Sarah Palin.
But his statements represent the Democrats’ strongest vow so far this year to investigate alleged misdeeds committed during the Bush years. “If there has been a basis upon which you can pursue someone for a criminal violation, they will be pursued,” Biden said during a campaign event in Deerfield Beach, Florida, according to ABC.
“[N]ot out of vengeance, not out of retribution,” he added, “out of the need to preserve the notion that no one, no attorney general, no president — no one is above the law.” …..[ MORE ]
REFERENCES:
1.Rudy Giuliani — “America’s THUG”
They call him “America’s Mayor.” But to blacks that title sugarcoats Rudy Giuliani’s real reputation as one of the most racially divisive leaders in the nation. Peter Noel’s book puts Giuliani’s often-ignored record of oppressing the “other New York” front and center in the 2008 presidential race.
Noel was a witness to “Giuliani time” in New York. As the race beat journalist for “The Village Voice,” he reported exclusively on the police brutality that rained down on blacks, and the denigration of black leadership by Giuliani. In this collection of his exposs, Noel provides stunning insights into the most notorious events of Giuliani’s tenure, including the execution-style killing of Amadou Diallo and the sadistic torture of Abner Louima. Both men-like many black victims of Giuliani’s stop-and-frisk policing-were innocent of any wrongdoing.
This brutality sparked a new black activist movement. Scores, including Jesse Jackson, were arrested-and Peter Noel was there to cover it. No journalist was more insightful about the rise of Al Sharpton,Khallid Muhammad’s “Million Youth March,” and Giuliani’s demonization of David Dinkins, the city’s first black mayor. There are interviews with major political players, inside accounts of the shifting alliances and violent conflicts between ethnic groups, and a stinging critique of the white-dominated media. And then there is Peter Noel’s interview with Giuliani, which took the form of a street fight in Harlem.
In these eloquent, often searing pieces, written in an outraged and authentic voice, Peter Noel spoke truth to the power of an “Afriphobic” mayor. In this revealing book, he still does.
The most extraordinary sight in Denver Thursday afternoon was the line of people waiting to get into Invesco Field. It stretched not just for blocks, but for miles. People filled every inch of the sidewalks on main streets and side streets. They inched under viaducts and scampered across highway entrance ramps. They stood in line for hours to get into the stadium to wait in the hot sun for even more hours. All to see a man give a speech that they could have stayed home and watched on TV. — [ More >> ]
Obama and Family at Invesco Field, Denver DENVER — Barack Obama accepted the Democratic Party presidential nomination on Thursday, declaring that the “American promise has been threatened” by eight years under President Bush and that John McCain represented a continuation of policies that undermined the nation’s economy and imperiled its standing around the world.
The speech by Senator Obama, in front of an audience of nearly 80,000 people on a warm night in a football stadium refashioned into a vast political stage for television viewers, left little doubt how he intended to press his campaign against Mr. McCain this fall.
In cutting language, and to cheers that echoed across the stadium, he linked Mr. McCain to what he described as the “failed presidency of George W. Bush” and — reflecting what has been a central theme of his campaign since he entered the race — “the broken politics in Washington.”
“America, we are better than these last eight years,” he said. “We are a better country than this.” ….[ More >> ]
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The Speech
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Obama Tribute At Convention — directed by Davis Guggenheim
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FULL TEXT OF SPEECH
Theme: “The American Promise” Delivered At:
The Democratic National Convention
August 28, 2008
Denver, Colorado
To Chairman Dean and my great friend Dick Durbin; and to all my fellow citizens of this great nation;
With profound gratitude and great humility, I accept your nomination for the presidency of the United States.
Let me express my thanks to the historic slate of candidates who accompanied me on this journey, and especially the one who traveled the farthest - a champion for working Americans and an inspiration to my daughters and to yours — Hillary Rodham Clinton. To President Clinton, who last night made the case for change as only he can make it; to Ted Kennedy, who embodies the spirit of service; and to the next Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden, I thank you. I am grateful to finish this journey with one of the finest statesmen of our time, a man at ease with everyone from world leaders to the conductors on the Amtrak train he still takes home every night.
To the love of my life, our next First Lady, Michelle Obama, and to Sasha and Malia - I love you so much, and I’m so proud of all of you.
Four years ago, I stood before you and told you my story - of the brief union between a young man from Kenya and a young woman from Kansas who weren’t well-off or well-known, but shared a belief that in America, their son could achieve whatever he put his mind to.
It is that promise that has always set this country apart - that through hard work and sacrifice, each of us can pursue our individual dreams but still come together as one American family, to ensure that the next generation can pursue their dreams as well.
That’s why I stand here tonight. Because for two hundred and thirty two years, at each moment when that promise was in jeopardy, ordinary men and women - students and soldiers, farmers and teachers, nurses and janitors — found the courage to keep it alive.
We meet at one of those defining moments - a moment when our nation is at war, our economy is in turmoil, and the American promise has been threatened once more.
Tonight, more Americans are out of work and more are working harder for less. More of you have lost your homes and even more are watching your home values plummet. More of you have cars you can’t afford to drive, credit card bills you can’t afford to pay, and tuition that’s beyond your reach.
These challenges are not all of government’s making. But the failure to respond is a direct result of a broken politics in Washington and the failed policies of George W. Bush.
America, we are better than these last eight years. We are a better country than this.
This country is more decent than one where a woman in Ohio, on the brink of retirement, finds herself one illness away from disaster after a lifetime of hard work.
This country is more generous than one where a man in Indiana has to pack up the equipment he’s worked on for twenty years and watch it shipped off to China, and then chokes up as he explains how he felt like a failure when he went home to tell his family the news.
We are more compassionate than a government that lets veterans sleep on our streets and families slide into poverty; that sits on its hands while a major American city drowns before our eyes.
Tonight, I say to the American people, to Democrats and Republicans and Independents across this great land - enough! This moment - this election - is our chance to keep, in the 21st century, the American promise alive. Because next week, in Minnesota, the same party that brought you two terms of George Bush and Dick Cheney will ask this country for a third. And we are here because we love this country too much to let the next four years look like the last eight. On November 4th, we must stand up and say: “Eight is enough.”
Now let there be no doubt. The Republican nominee, John McCain, has worn the uniform of our country with bravery and distinction, and for that we owe him our gratitude and respect. And next week, we’ll also hear about those occasions when he’s broken with his party as evidence that he can deliver the change that we need.
But the record’s clear: John McCain has voted with George Bush ninety percent of the time. Senator McCain likes to talk about judgment, but really, what does it say about your judgment when you think George Bush has been right more than ninety percent of the time? I don’t know about you, but I’m not ready to take a ten percent chance on change.
The truth is, on issue after issue that would make a difference in your lives - on health care and education and the economy - Senator McCain has been anything but independent. He said that our economy has made “great progress” under this President. He said that the fundamentals of the economy are strong. And when one of his chief advisors - the man who wrote his economic plan - was talking about the anxiety Americans are feeling, he said that we were just suffering from a “mental recession,” and that we’ve become, and I quote, “a nation of whiners.”
A nation of whiners? Tell that to the proud auto workers at a Michigan plant who, after they found out it was closing, kept showing up every day and working as hard as ever, because they knew there were people who counted on the brakes that they made. Tell that to the military families who shoulder their burdens silently as they watch their loved ones leave for their third or fourth or fifth tour of duty. These are not whiners. They work hard and give back and keep going without complaint. These are the Americans that I know.
Now, I don’t believe that Senator McCain doesn’t care what’s going on in the lives of Americans. I just think he doesn’t know. Why else would he define middle-class as someone making under five million dollars a year? How else could he propose hundreds of billions in tax breaks for big corporations and oil companies but not one penny of tax relief to more than one hundred million Americans? How else could he offer a health care plan that would actually tax people’s benefits, or an education plan that would do nothing to help families pay for college, or a plan that would privatize Social Security and gamble your retirement?
It’s not because John McCain doesn’t care. It’s because John McCain doesn’t get it.
For over two decades, he’s subscribed to that old, discredited Republican philosophy - give more and more to those with the most and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else. In Washington, they call this the Ownership Society, but what it really means is - you’re on your own. Out of work? Tough luck. No health care? The market will fix it. Born into poverty? Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps - even if you don’t have boots. You’re on your own.
Well it’s time for them to own their failure. It’s time for us to change America.
You see, we Democrats have a very different measure of what constitutes progress in this country.
We measure progress by how many people can find a job that pays the mortgage; whether you can put a little extra money away at the end of each month so you can someday watch your child receive her college diploma. We measure progress in the 23 million new jobs that were created when Bill Clinton was President - when the average American family saw its income go up $7,500 instead of down $2,000 like it has under George Bush.
We measure the strength of our economy not by the number of billionaires we have or the profits of the Fortune 500, but by whether someone with a good idea can take a risk and start a new business, or whether the waitress who lives on tips can take a day off to look after a sick kid without losing her job - an economy that honors the dignity of work.
The fundamentals we use to measure economic strength are whether we are living up to that fundamental promise that has made this country great - a promise that is the only reason I am standing here tonight.
Because in the faces of those young veterans who come back from Iraq and Afghanistan, I see my grandfather, who signed up after Pearl Harbor, marched in Patton’s Army, and was rewarded by a grateful nation with the chance to go to college on the GI Bill.
In the face of that young student who sleeps just three hours before working the night shift, I think about my mom, who raised my sister and me on her own while she worked and earned her degree; who once turned to food stamps but was still able to send us to the best schools in the country with the help of student loans and scholarships.
When I listen to another worker tell me that his factory has shut down, I remember all those men and women on the South Side of Chicago who I stood by and fought for two decades ago after the local steel plant closed.
And when I hear a woman talk about the difficulties of starting her own business, I think about my grandmother, who worked her way up from the secretarial pool to middle-management, despite years of being passed over for promotions because she was a woman. She’s the one who taught me about hard work. She’s the one who put off buying a new car or a new dress for herself so that I could have a better life. She poured everything she had into me. And although she can no longer travel, I know that she’s watching tonight, and that tonight is her night as well.
I don’t know what kind of lives John McCain thinks that celebrities lead, but this has been mine. These are my heroes. Theirs are the stories that shaped me. And it is on their behalf that I intend to win this election and keep our promise alive as President of the United States.
What is that promise?
It’s a promise that says each of us has the freedom to make of our own lives what we will, but that we also have the obligation to treat each other with dignity and respect.
It’s a promise that says the market should reward drive and innovation and generate growth, but that businesses should live up to their responsibilities to create American jobs, look out for American workers, and play by the rules of the road.
Ours is a promise that says government cannot solve all our problems, but what it should do is that which we cannot do for ourselves - protect us from harm and provide every child a decent education; keep our water clean and our toys safe; invest in new schools and new roads and new science and technology.
Our government should work for us, not against us. It should help us, not hurt us. It should ensure opportunity not just for those with the most money and influence, but for every American who’s willing to work.
That’s the promise of America - the idea that we are responsible for ourselves, but that we also rise or fall as one nation; the fundamental belief that I am my brother’s keeper; I am my sister’s keeper.
That’s the promise we need to keep. That’s the change we need right now. So let me spell out exactly what that change would mean if I am President.
Change means a tax code that doesn’t reward the lobbyists who wrote it, but the American workers and small businesses who deserve it.
Unlike John McCain, I will stop giving tax breaks to corporations that ship jobs overseas, and I will start giving them to companies that create good jobs right here in America.
I will eliminate capital gains taxes for the small businesses and the start-ups that will create the high-wage, high-tech jobs of tomorrow.
I will cut taxes - cut taxes - for 95% of all working families. Because in an economy like this, the last thing we should do is raise taxes on the middle-class.
And for the sake of our economy, our security, and the future of our planet, I will set a clear goal as President: in ten years, we will finally end our dependence on oil from the Middle East.
Washington’s been talking about our oil addiction for the last thirty years, and John McCain has been there for twenty-six of them. In that time, he’s said no to higher fuel-efficiency standards for cars, no to investments in renewable energy, no to renewable fuels. And today, we import triple the amount of oil as the day that Senator McCain took office.
Now is the time to end this addiction, and to understand that drilling is a stop-gap measure, not a long-term solution. Not even close.
As President, I will tap our natural gas reserves, invest in clean coal technology, and find ways to safely harness nuclear power. I’ll help our auto companies re-tool, so that the fuel-efficient cars of the future are built right here in America. I’ll make it easier for the American people to afford these new cars. And I’ll invest 150 billion dollars over the next decade in affordable, renewable sources of energy - wind power and solar power and the next generation of biofuels; an investment that will lead to new industries and five million new jobs that pay well and can’t ever be outsourced.
America, now is not the time for small plans.
Now is the time to finally meet our moral obligation to provide every child a world-class education, because it will take nothing less to compete in the global economy. Michelle and I are only here tonight because we were given a chance at an education. And I will not settle for an America where some kids don’t have that chance. I’ll invest in early childhood education. I’ll recruit an army of new teachers, and pay them higher salaries and give them more support. And in exchange, I’ll ask for higher standards and more accountability. And we will keep our promise to every young American - if you commit to serving your community or your country, we will make sure you can afford a college education.
Now is the time to finally keep the promise of affordable, accessible health care for every single American. If you have health care, my plan will lower your premiums. If you don’t, you’ll be able to get the same kind of coverage that members of Congress give themselves. And as someone who watched my mother argue with insurance companies while she lay in bed dying of cancer, I will make certain those companies stop discriminating against those who are sick and need care the most.
Now is the time to help families with paid sick days and better family leave, because nobody in America should have to choose between keeping their jobs and caring for a sick child or ailing parent.
Now is the time to change our bankruptcy laws, so that your pensions are protected ahead of CEO bonuses; and the time to protect Social Security for future generations.
And now is the time to keep the promise of equal pay for an equal day’s work, because I want my daughters to have exactly the same opportunities as your sons.
Now, many of these plans will cost money, which is why I’ve laid out how I’ll pay for every dime - by closing corporate loopholes and tax havens that don’t help America grow. But I will also go through the federal budget, line by line, eliminating programs that no longer work and making the ones we do need work better and cost less - because we cannot meet twenty-first century challenges with a twentieth century bureaucracy.
And Democrats, we must also admit that fulfilling America’s promise will require more than just money. It will require a renewed sense of responsibility from each of us to recover what John F. Kennedy called our “intellectual and moral strength.” Yes, government must lead on energy independence, but each of us must do our part to make our homes and businesses more efficient. Yes, we must provide more ladders to success for young men who fall into lives of crime and despair. But we must also admit that programs alone can’t replace parents; that government can’t turn off the television and make a child do her homework; that fathers must take more responsibility for providing the love and guidance their children need.
Individual responsibility and mutual responsibility - that’s the essence of America’s promise.
And just as we keep our keep our promise to the next generation here at home, so must we keep America’s promise abroad. If John McCain wants to have a debate about who has the temperament, and judgment, to serve as the next Commander-in-Chief, that’s a debate I’m ready to have.
For while Senator McCain was turning his sights to Iraq just days after 9/11, I stood up and opposed this war, knowing that it would distract us from the real threats we face. When John McCain said we could just “muddle through” in Afghanistan, I argued for more resources and more troops to finish the fight against the terrorists who actually attacked us on 9/11, and made clear that we must take out Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants if we have them in our sights. John McCain likes to say that he’ll follow bin Laden to the Gates of Hell - but he won’t even go to the cave where he lives.
And today, as my call for a time frame to remove our troops from Iraq has been echoed by the Iraqi government and even the Bush Administration, even after we learned that Iraq has a $79 billion surplus while we’re wallowing in deficits, John McCain stands alone in his stubborn refusal to end a misguided war.
That’s not the judgment we need. That won’t keep America safe. We need a President who can face the threats of the future, not keep grasping at the ideas of the past.
You don’t defeat a terrorist network that operates in eighty countries by occupying Iraq. You don’t protect Israel and deter Iran just by talking tough in Washington. You can’t truly stand up for Georgia when you’ve strained our oldest alliances. If John McCain wants to follow George Bush with more tough talk and bad strategy, that is his choice - but it is not the change we need.
We are the party of Roosevelt. We are the party of Kennedy. So don’t tell me that Democrats won’t defend this country. Don’t tell me that Democrats won’t keep us safe. The Bush-McCain foreign policy has squandered the legacy that generations of Americans — Democrats and Republicans - have built, and we are here to restore that legacy.
As Commander-in-Chief, I will never hesitate to defend this nation, but I will only send our troops into harm’s way with a clear mission and a sacred commitment to give them the equipment they need in battle and the care and benefits they deserve when they come home.
I will end this war in Iraq responsibly, and finish the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. I will rebuild our military to meet future conflicts. But I will also renew the tough, direct diplomacy that can prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and curb Russian aggression. I will build new partnerships to defeat the threats of the 21st century: terrorism and nuclear proliferation; poverty and genocide; climate change and disease. And I will restore our moral standing, so that America is once again that last, best hope for all who are called to the cause of freedom, who long for lives of peace, and who yearn for a better future.
These are the policies I will pursue. And in the weeks ahead, I look forward to debating them with John McCain.
But what I will not do is suggest that the Senator takes his positions for political purposes. Because one of the things that we have to change in our politics is the idea that people cannot disagree without challenging each other’s character and patriotism.
The times are too serious, the stakes are too high for this same partisan playbook. So let us agree that patriotism has no party. I love this country, and so do you, and so does John McCain. The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and Independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America - they have served the United States of America.
So I’ve got news for you, John McCain. We all put our country first.
America, our work will not be easy. The challenges we face require tough choices, and Democrats as well as Republicans will need to cast off the worn-out ideas and politics of the past. For part of what has been lost these past eight years can’t just be measured by lost wages or bigger trade deficits. What has also been lost is our sense of common purpose - our sense of higher purpose. And that’s what we have to restore.
We may not agree on abortion, but surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country. The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than for those plagued by gang-violence in Cleveland, but don’t tell me we can’t uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals. I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination. Passions fly on immigration, but I don’t know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child or an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers. This too is part of America’s promise - the promise of a democracy where we can find the strength and grace to bridge divides and unite in common effort.
I know there are those who dismiss such beliefs as happy talk. They claim that our insistence on something larger, something firmer and more honest in our public life is just a Trojan Horse for higher taxes and the abandonment of traditional values. And that’s to be expected. Because if you don’t have any fresh ideas, then you use stale tactics to scare the voters. If you don’t have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from.
You make a big election about small things.
And you know what - it’s worked before. Because it feeds into the cynicism we all have about government. When Washington doesn’t work, all its promises seem empty. If your hopes have been dashed again and again, then it’s best to stop hoping, and settle for what you already know.
I get it. I realize that I am not the likeliest candidate for this office. I don’t fit the typical pedigree, and I haven’t spent my career in the halls of Washington.
But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. What the nay-sayers don’t understand is that this election has never been about me. It’s been about you.
For eighteen long months, you have stood up, one by one, and said enough to the politics of the past. You understand that in this election, the greatest risk we can take is to try the same old politics with the same old players and expect a different result. You have shown what history teaches us - that at defining moments like this one, the change we need doesn’t come from Washington. Change comes to Washington. Change happens because the American people demand it - because they rise up and insist on new ideas and new leadership, a new politics for a new time.
America, this is one of those moments.
I believe that as hard as it will be, the change we need is coming. Because I’ve seen it. Because I’ve lived it. I’ve seen it in Illinois, when we provided health care to more children and moved more families from welfare to work. I’ve seen it in Washington, when we worked across party lines to open up government and hold lobbyists more accountable, to give better care for our veterans and keep nuclear weapons out of terrorist hands.
And I’ve seen it in this campaign. In the young people who voted for the first time, and in those who got involved again after a very long time. In the Republicans who never thought they’d pick up a Democratic ballot, but did. I’ve seen it in the workers who would rather cut their hours back a day than see their friends lose their jobs, in the soldiers who re-enlist after losing a limb, in the good neighbors who take a stranger in when a hurricane strikes and the floodwaters rise.
This country of ours has more wealth than any nation, but that’s not what makes us rich. We have the most powerful military on Earth, but that’s not what makes us strong. Our universities and our culture are the envy of the world, but that’s not what keeps the world coming to our shores.
Instead, it is that American spirit - that American promise - that pushes us forward even when the path is uncertain; that binds us together in spite of our differences; that makes us fix our eye not on what is seen, but what is unseen, that better place around the bend.
That promise is our greatest inheritance. It’s a promise I make to my daughters when I tuck them in at night, and a promise that you make to yours - a promise that has led immigrants to cross oceans and pioneers to travel west; a promise that led workers to picket lines, and women to reach for the ballot.
And it is that promise that forty five years ago today, brought Americans from every corner of this land to stand together on a Mall in Washington, before Lincoln’s Memorial, and hear a young preacher from Georgia speak of his dream.
The men and women who gathered there could’ve heard many things. They could’ve heard words of anger and discord. They could’ve been told to succumb to the fear and frustration of so many dreams deferred.
But what the people heard instead - people of every creed and color, from every walk of life - is that in America, our destiny is inextricably linked. That together, our dreams can be one.
“We cannot walk alone,” the preacher cried. “And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.”
America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. Not with so many children to educate, and so many veterans to care for. Not with an economy to fix and cities to rebuild and farms to save. Not with so many families to protect and so many lives to mend. America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future. Let us keep that promise - that American promise - and in the words of Scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess.
Thank you, God Bless you, and God Bless the United States of America.
A MASTER was at work last night. A politician who can inspire hope filled in the blanks of his program and articulated his vision with skill and panache.
Barack Obama, never short on inspiration, gave us specifics. He delivered a State of the Union Address, laying out his programs fully and well. He gave exactly the right speech with the right delivery and balance of detail and rhetoric.
And he wove his background and his philosophy into and around his proposals, combining moving words with specific proposals. The speech will surely give him the bounce he needs - turning a deadlocked race into a potential landslide.
On 28 August, 1963, Martin Luther King delivered his magnificent “I have a dream speech” on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. Below is the full text of his speech.
I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.
Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of captivity.
America has given the Negro people a bad cheque which has come back marked ‘insufficient funds’
But 100 years later, we must face the tragic fact that the Negro is still not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land.
And so we’ve come here today to dramatize an appalling condition. In a sense we’ve come to our nation’s capital to cash a cheque. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”
It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of colour are concerned. Instead of honouring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad cheque which has come back marked “insufficient funds.” But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we’ve come to cash this cheque - a cheque that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.
Sweltering summer… of discontent
We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.
The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges
It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro’s legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. 1963 is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual.
There will be neither rest nor tranquillity in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.
But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: in the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.
The marvellous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. They have come to realise that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall march ahead. We cannot turn back.
Trials and tribulations
There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights: “When will you be satisfied?” We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro’s basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating “For Whites Only”. We cannot be satisfied and we will not be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.
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 a table of brotherhood
I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.
Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.
Let us not wallow in the valley of despair. I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
The 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 a table of brotherhood.
• I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and 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 colour 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 little black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
• I have a dream today!
• I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.
This is our hope. This is the faith that I will go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope.
With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
This will be the day, this will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with a new meaning: “My country, ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring.” And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.
And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.
• Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.
• Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!
• Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.
• Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California.
But not only that.
• Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.
• Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.
• Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill of Mississippi, from every mountainside, let freedom ring!
And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: “Free at last! Free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”
Next time I am stopped by the police for no reason, I will ask them if they think that their actions are in concordance with the fulfilment of Martin Luther King’s dream. — Jeremy Cedenio, UK
While there will always be racism, it’s not a serious driving force of politics here. Even in Arkansas where the integration of Central High school was a huge issue 50 years ago there is no overt racial tension. It’s a psychological fact that people associate more with those who are visually more like them, and that has to be worked on. However, the main force of racism now is counter-racism and the fact that most voices in the US black community are voices of dissent - that’s not helping anybody. As for inequality at the political/corporate level, of course there is, but that’s a fact of economics and history, not current racism. — Ray, Arkansas, USA
Martin Luther King’s dream is just that: a dream. Very little close to becoming a reality than it was when the great man spoke about it in Washington, DC. From the injustice of racial segregation, all ethnic minorities, not just blacks, face the stigma created by quota-based ‘positive discrimination’ programs- intended to HELP such people. Unfortunately this leads to some whites believing that ethnic minority employees or students only got in because of their race, not their abilities. One African American politician said ‘we have to run twice as fast to be considered half as good’. Only when we achieve true equality, not the half-hearted attempt by politicians, will Dr King’s dream truly be realised — David Russell, Glasgow, UK
If it’s not race it’s sex, sexual orientation, religion or nationality. Racism is a symptom of a disease that blinds us to the fact that we are, in a very real sense, all one. When we wake up to the fact that the welfare of the other is our own then racism and other prejudice will seem pointless and silly. Tom, Canadian in Cholula, Mexico
Maybe the dream will eventually come true. But I doubt if it will be in our lifetime. I really admire how active the US establishment and people have been tackling this, though. The starting point is to acknowledge the existence of a problem. In many countries in Western Europe they are still in denial. The establishments try to hide any such incidents as much as possible for fear of embarassment if stories come out. Unfortunately they also don’t put in place measures to discourage such acts. As a black student in Belgium I have come to accept reality. That from time to time I’ll be prevented from entering some cafés, I’ll be followed around in shops and searched to make sure I didn’t steal anything and that I’ll be stopped by police to check if I’m illegal. Mind you I live in a city considered very liberal, being a student city. So, you can imagine that I don’t even bother visiting any of the other cities around because it can only get worse. The saddest thing is that you’ve no one to turn to. You’re always going to be the one at fault — Edward, Leuven
As a black woman living in the u.s. i have to say absolutely not. His dream has not come true, but he has helped us ( the world ) make incredible strides. Good things come to those who wait. — Khia Jackson, Hampton, Virginia
There will always be discrimination & prejudices in the world; However if we can all stand together and promote racial & social tolerance, we are moving a step closer to the good mans dream. In the U.S Hollywood actors, Eddie Murphy, great musicians, Diana Ross, and the likes of General Powell have all eluded the barriers of race. In this country too race can be divisive but people in general are more aware & tolerant despite some negative views! Martin Luther King showed great character - his words & memories & great vision live on!!! Today this is somewhat marred by the negative stigma of illegal immigrants who seem to dominate headlines recently & so add to race disunity due to being linked to crime or deemed to be overloading the social system!! — Oscar, England
In my opinion, “Racism” as it is commonly used and once existed is for the most part a thing of the past. The exception to this being the fringe radicals of white supremacists and militias. What prejudice does exist is based more on economics and class than on actual skin colour. People wish to be around folks of similar backgrounds, economic class, education levels, etc… Property values, school quality, etc… are the main issue, NOT actual racial superiority. While there are undoubtedly some level of racial overtones, profiling, and stereotyping done with all of this, it is at a significantly lower level than the civil rights era, and is getting lower. — Mike, Atlanta, US
Progress has been made, but I think his “Dream” would not have involved affirmative action. Affirmative action is not reverse racism; it is simply racism. Using racism to “create” equality simply fans the flames of hatred. — Kevin, Boston, MA
An interesting debate. Everyone knows that racism was rife in South Africa under the Apartheid banner for decades, but how many people know that reverse racism is now in operation in South Africa? If you’re white you can’t get a high-level managerial post; you can’t get a university bursary; you can’t get bank loans, etc. The world was so concerned about South Africa - now that Apartheid’s over, where have the world’s concerns for the country gone? — L da Silva, South Africa
Racism is fading out slowly at least in Occident. While religion has always been opposed to racism, religion has now become an obstacle to human progress: rising fundamentalism and hindrance to mixed inter-community marriages. Can we dream of a world free of religious discriminations? — Wendy, France
He had a dream that is still in the making, but the road is long. Perhaps we will not see the end of it for another forty years, or even longer. The issue, I think, is not so much racism in itself as prejudice, which is something that all human beings have. We believe something about something and until proven otherwise, that’s the unfortunate way it is. To come to terms with racial differences as well as religious ones, we must attack the core of it; prejudice. — K. Wikman, Sweden
Not entirely, his dream was and still is an overwhelming task, America and the rest of the “civilized world” still lives within a rather unspoken discrimination although the legislations have changed and “equality” is reinforced. — Kays Al-Samarraie, UAE, Sharjah
I was an American 12 year old 40 years ago, living in Europe, and my family and I watched the march on Washington on Dutch TV. We were very excited and swelling with pride. There was another American visiting us as we watched, and he said, nastily, about one of the speakers, “I wonder which part of the communist party he belongs to“. We were shocked. My father, a first generation American, born in Norway, said “They have something important to say.”
It might be interesting to Europeans to know that here in America, just as black people refer to each other as brother and sister, black and white people sometimes call each other “coz”, short for cousin, a Shakespearean term. We want to get along, and we will. Just as most black Americans have white blood and cultural influence, so do many white Americans. As a white American, I can say that our black cousins are part of our cultural heritage, reflected in our speech, our music, our sense of humour. MLK’s dream is all our dream! And we will achieve it. Cousins will become will become our brothers and sisters. — Kathrine Beck, Seattle, USA
I believe that the dreams of Martin Luther had been largely fulfilled. It is however a process or an evolution. With time all dreams in that speech will be realised. Rome was not build in a day. — Denis Saidu, Wisconsin, USA
Cosmetic laws have been passed to remove the most egregious manifestations of racism. However, Black folks are still not in charge of their economic future. They are, by necessity, entirely dependent on the largesse of the White-dominated system to survive. From Wall Street to Main Street, Black business power through ownership is negligible. A few, constantly-recycled, servants of the system should not occult this stark reality. Blacks have a very long way to go, still. — Dovi, Boston, USA
Whilst it would be ludicrous to suggest that there is not a serious problem with racism in Europe I find it simply laughable that anyone from the US could compare the situation in that country more favourably than in Britain for example. You only need to spend a short time walking around Washington DC to find a city almost completely racially segregated. The districts which are some of the most dangerous in the US are almost exclusively black - there is no city in Europe I know of which suffers from this degree of segregation. — Jeff, UK
No. Martin’s dream has not come true. I marched during those days and we worked very hard to support the “dream”. We have miles to go before we sleep. We must not let the fact that the dream has not come true keep us from the dream that is possible - if we care enough for each other and this planet. — Carolyn V Brown, M.D., MPH, Douglas, Alaska USA
To claim that Luther’s dream has come true is to exaggerate. However, we are luckily on our way to achieving that dream. A world without racism is possible, although the process is long. As things are today, that dream is far away, but there are many people in this world dedicating their lives to this dream. And that is a beautiful thing. — Jonas, Finland
Working in a middle school, I was asked by a child what racism was. I told her that racism was hatred of people of another race, like white people on black people. The next question, “Why?” was one I couldn’t answer. — William Mann, Portsmouth UK
I really think the problem now is religious intolerance, rather than racism. There will always be racism but I don’t think it’s a very big issue in most countries anymore. — Jack Higgs, Birmingham, UK
Racism was abolished by Islam 1,400 years ago. To date, Muslims are the least racist society on the face of earth. I have great respect for King and other such greats, but little hopes. No amount of effort can remove the plague of racism unless human souls are transformed, a remote possibility outside the purview of Islam. — Jas, India
To Jas, India who claims racism was abolished by Islam: Ask a Pakistani in Saudi Arabia and he will tell you different facets of racism in that Islamic country against others of the same belief. I can hardly believe that you can so blinded by religion. -= Tridiv Borah, Dortmund, Germany (Indian)
For the remnants of racism to be totally swept away, black popular culture needs to reflect the reality of my neighbourhood: hard-working black single moms, couples, and traditional families leading solid lives, not the misogynistic, ultra-violent, foul-mouthed miscreants in gold chains toting guns that populate rap videos. There will always be bad apples, but glorifying them is a mistake. The motivation? Good old American greed. — Ralph Slesinski, Baltimore, US
For every incident of racism, I look around me to find more and more cases of racial tolerance in form of mixed race friendships as well as marriages! No one can take us back to the years of aggravated racial intolerance, the political underpinnings behind racial intolerance is more of a factor now rather than the ‘hate syndrome’ previously associated with racism. — Terna Waya, Hull/UK
I see brother Martin as a philosopher and prophet of our age because ever since he prophesised his message you can see that black and white are coming as one now. — Charles Aniakor, Anambra state, Nigeria
Having made much progress, we are now stalling out in progress toward a colour-blind society. Universities are now cheapening the degrees of blacks by holding us to lower standards. Teachers are wary of grading truthfully. Asians and Jews are now finding themselves excluded from universities due to their ethnicity. It is becoming more and more common for bosses, teachers and co-workers to assume (often with good reason) that blacks are in our positions because of our race. Reverse racism is already causing a backlash, and will increase racism of all kinds. Overt racism is getting rare (in fact it hits the news when it happens BECAUSE it’s rare), and should no longer be used as an excuse to demand special treatment. — Willis Washington, Boston, Mass
I think in most cases, I could tell if the (American) writers of each of these comments are of the dominant or minority. The tell-tale signs are very common. The members of the majority are not aware of the subtle signs of oppressions that they claim do not exist. They claim that by not recognizing visual indicators or recording statistics that oppression will somehow disappear. The oppression will not go away, only the proof. This is why California’s Proposition 54 is so insidious. There will be no way to prove discrimination, so it officially will cease to exist! Racism, sexism and homophobia exist. We will not be free until we are all free. — Mark, Oakland CA USA
The dream is an ideal, so I don’t think it will ever be perfectly true in every heart. But, I was waiting for the fireworks this past summer and my downstairs neighbour, who’s from Iran, said, “Happy 4th of July.” I looked around and to my right was a Sikh family and, in front of me, was an Asian couple speaking Cantonese. I remember thinking at the time about what a great country this is. — Mary Kuchlenz, San Francisco, California
We’ve still got a long way to go. We’re a lot further along than we were in some ways: there are multi-ethnic members of the President’s cabinet, and inter-racial relationships are no longer shocking. But police still engage in racial profiling, and politicians (like that Senator from Mississippi who praised Strom Thurmond’s racist platform during the 1948 elections) still espouse racist doctrines. The US is not, nor has it ever truly lived up to it’s ideal of equality. It is an ideal, a dream, to which we aspire but have yet to attain. — David Bart, Seattle, USA
I had a dream too. However, when I woke up I had to face the reality of America. Politics and greed. – Chris Wikramanayake, USA
I saw and heard Dr King’s speech when I was 16 years old. We in the USA came closer when we had hope during the Clinton era. But we have moved backward 30 years since Bush took office. I don’t think I’ll see Dr King’s dream in my lifetime. But it will happen! — Jackie Rawlings, USA
A few steps in the right direction but a big leap is still needed to address the problem of poverty which perpetuates division. It is no point saying all men are equal in law and in theory when in practice many in the African-American community are still disadvantaged by reason of the vicious cycle that poverty brings. — Christopher Le, Berkeley/USA
As a black man in America, I must say that I, for one, see Dr King’s dream coming true, albeit slowly. I have an interracial marriage and a 19 year old son. When I was his age, living in North Carolina, dating a white girl had to be done surreptitiously. Now, he dates girls of all colours and no one says a thing. Of course, he doesn’t do this in Mississippi or Alabama, but Vermont or California. But he can do it if he and they wish it. So, the dream is alive, not perhaps as public as some might want, but it IS alive, and doing very well. The ultimate test will be when we no longer have to ask the question. — Calvin H. Johnson, Ukiah, CA, USA
I was working at a job corp centre in a rural area of California where approximately 80 young black men were participating in its programme of education and vocational training. Most of them had come from “ghettos” of big cities across America. Many of them had participated in urban riots in Watts and Detroit. When we got word that Martin Luther King had been assassinated, I was with a group of about 20 of those young men. I saw the light go out of their eyes. It was a heart wrenching experience and I will never forget it. — Sharon Pelli, Live Oak, CA, USA
A positive aspect of Americans is they are willing to talk openly about race and the difficulties of race relations - something lacking in many of the countries I’ve lived in. Individual Americans are willing to learn about and understand other cultures (subject to and despite of their distorted media and press). I wouldn’t say the US is the least racist country in the world - the UK, New Zealand and especially Canada are less racist - but they are much, much more tolerant than they are given credit for. — M. M. Zaman, UK in US
The best that can be hoped for is anti-racist legislation. ALL races are racist, it is not, as some people think, the preserve of white people, just think of Rwanda or East Timor. You can not stop people being racist, but you can protect them from the effects and limit the exposure to racist material. King’s dream is just that, a dream. People have always been racist, wherever they’re from, that, unfortunately is part of a lot of people’s human nature just like selfishness, criminality and dishonesty. — Graeme, England
Is racism extinct? That is a very interesting question because it never will be. Every time we generalize people by saying Canadians, Americans, Europeans, South Africans, whites, blacks, we are in fact guilty of racism. It is part of human nature to generalise people into categories and to generalize their behaviours. The true danger is in judging and stereotyping the INDIVIDUAL person. Racism will always be present in some manner, it is up to us to make sure how present it is and how we personally deal with it. — Eric, Montreal, Canada
Dr King set a high bar for the heirs of his ideals, and we are still struggling to meet it. America, for one, has come a long way, and advocates of civil rights deserve to be proud of what they’ve accomplished. But the work isn’t complete, and it won’t be until everyone has the same shot at success, and people of all races are judged “not by the colour of [our] skin, but by the content of [our] character.” Everyone bears a responsibility in this, and it will be a long time before we truly reach that goal. But it’s not just the destination that’s important — it’s the journey. — Kathy, New York, NY
As a southerner, I have to personally live with the fact that many still in the south see things in black and white. But, I feel that with each new generation here, we are making progress and many no longer judge people because of their skin. Perhaps my children or grand-children will make Dr. King’s dream of overcoming true, I hope and pray for that day. — Nathanial, KY, USA
I believe that racism is still practised in many cities in America. That there are a large number of homeless black people. That they still are the lowest paid apart from women. Hasn’t racism spilled over into the ordinary middle-eastern resident’s life? — Irene Kennedy, Wellington New Zealand
We are about halfway to the dream. It will be a while before the people in the US will get adjusted to colour-blind views. I feel bad for France and England, since they have no real experience in dealing with such a diverse population, like America. They are going through an era of immigration and racial tensions that the US went through a century ago. – Patrick, Detroit, MI
I don’t think Patrick, Detroit, MI has any idea of what modern Europe is about. There has been at least as much immigration and inter-mixing throughout Europe over the centuries as there has been in America. The population of any given European country has its roots all over the western world, Mediterranean and N.Africa. Their colonial past has provided an endless source of new people who have established themselves in Europe. It didn’t take race riots, and anti-segregation protests to end the colour bar here, as there never was one. America may have started to end Apartheid in the 60s, it never exisited in Europe. — Jeff, UK
A lot of good has happened in the last 40 years. Centuries of racism won’t be reversed overnight, so people have to get real. I object to the criticisms of continuing “segregation” in America. Did it ever occur to anyone that people voluntarily segregate themselves from time to time because being with your own race is the most natural thing to do? There’s nothing wrong with that as long as you treat other races with respect. — Tom, Chicago, USA
I’ve worked in equal opportunity for over 20 years and the progress that has been made is outstanding. There is absolutely no comparison between today’s racial climate and the one that existed when Dr. King made his speech. — Michael, Phoenix USA
No, I do not think so. A large part of the black community have become a tool for US colonial war in the world. — Karl Halmstrand, Sweden
Proof that Martin Luther King’s dream did not come true is seen on simple, everyday things…such as a questionnaire or a job application. Where it asks the question, “What is your race?”, there are usually several options- Caucasian, African American, Asian, etc. If Martin Luther King’s dream came true, the only option to answer that question would be “human”. We are all of human race. — MJ, USA
If you’ve never personally experienced racism, of course you don’t think it’s a problem. — Zena, Oakland, CA, USA
I love how the people who most often deny that racism against people of colour exists are white. If you’ve never personally experienced racism, of course you don’t think it’s a problem. As a black child growing up in America, I didn’t go looking for racism - it found me the first time a white peer rejected me because of my skin colour. And it stalked me whenever I couldn’t get a cab (but a white woman could) or was followed around in a store as if I was a thief. Racism will always exist as long as people deny that in their hearts they do judge people on appearances. The evidence is everywhere - multiple studies have proven discrimination against people of colour in housing, health care, criminal justice, employment and many other arenas. Just look it up! Once we acknowledge racism and fight it wherever it rears its evil head, then we can honestly say that King’s dream is possible. — Zena, Oakland, CA, USA
Sadly I would have to say we are still a long way away from the Dream. There are still too many people with very racist views still in the seats of power. Until these people can be removed and replaced by more Open minded leaders we will be waiting for a VERY long time for a world were all people can honestly say they are Equals. — Glenn, Ontario, Canada
Yes, racial equality is nearer although there are worries when you look on the TV and see violent riots inspired by US police brutality on blacks. Clearly there is some way to go . I believe larger problems exist elsewhere in terms of language and beliefs. In Europe language is the largest barrier to racial harmony and even expressing discontent is difficult if you don’t speak the language. However, that is a minor issue compared to beliefs, I feel the 9/11 has done great harm to the tolerance many had for one another, especially against Islamists. My perception of the US is of a stiff-necked Christian community and of course this is going to cause a clash of culture. It is this part of equality we now have to work on - the respecting of each others beliefs. — Mark, Spain
As an Iranian American who spent many years in Iran and visited Europe I have to say there is far less racism in America than in Europe and the middle east. For example as a first generation American I am accepted as an American in every sense while in Europe people with ethnicities other than the majority don’t get the same treatment, even though they have lived in those countries for generations. So in my opinion there is no room for criticizing the US in this issue if you live in Europe. — Saffar, USA
The idea of a dream that all races live as one was the heart of his speech. But, the idea of separate but equal is more common. Not so much by the government, but by the different ethnic groups in the country. It is hard for blacks to live in Little Italy in New York without being harassed as an example. I live in Los Angeles and I am glad I do. We are so diverse in our culture and ethnic breakdown. I can go and get a Mexican breakfast, Southern cuisine for lunch, and Japanese dinner. Living in an area is more through choice and how much you can afford. While Los Angeles is not perfect, it is an interesting place to live. — Russ B, USA
The speech by Dr Martin Luther King is one of the most important speeches ever given on the issue of human interaction. He said “I have a dream that one day people shall be judged not by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character” these words are the standard that people all around the world, especially America, must strive to reach if we are to live in a just and peaceful world. — Behzad, Washington DC
Though Martin Luther King’s dream may not have been fully realised yet, I would say from personal experience that the racism situation in USA is much better than Europe. Americans are largely fair in their approach and almost everyone who can prove themselves in this country is rewarded appropriately. It is a little bit of a struggle to get to through that first barrier of proving yourself, but, once proven, the sky is the limit in this land of opportunity. Skin colour will always be an issue in any country if the colour is not the same, for better or worse. — Chandru , California, USA
On the surface, yes, Dr King’s dream has come true. In public, most white Americans will say they have nothing against minorities, but when one talks to them in private, certain prejudices come out. For example, Mexicans in the US often take jobs involving physical labour, and are often slow to learn English. As such, many see them as dumb and lower-class. Dr King changed our language and behaviour, but not our hearts. Racism is as big a problem as ever, but now, because of the civil rights movement, it is under the surface, festering. — Jason Konik, USA/Poland
Martin Luther King’s dream will not come true until the American society stops categorizing people; African American, Native American, Caucasian, Hispanic, Arabian.. no other country is as hysterical when it comes to labelling people. No wonder there is so much racism, when you can’t just let people be people. — Kerstin Carlsson, Sweden
Has his dream come true? I have to disagree, it has not. A couple of years ago before Sept. 11 I would have said yes. But afterwards, there has been a great deterioration of human, and civil rights in the U.S. Muslims are being targeted, racially profiled, and in some cases attacked and murdered. The world unfortunately is still racist. — Usman, USA
After many centuries of slavery in the new world, black people have come a long way in a relatively short period of time. Yet for each anecdote of an African American in a high position, there are countless other stories of crushing struggles and shattered hopes. Most blacks are not mentored in professions and are still held back by the “glass ceiling.” Blacks are still paid less for doing the same work as whites. The education of blacks is clearly substandard. In general, blacks and whites don’t have much to do with each other in the US. Saddest of all is that no one wants to talk about it. — Sharon, USA
There is still racism in the world today, but I don’t think it’s going to improve until we re-evaluate what we think racism is. I don’t believe for the most part it is a race feeling they are superior to all other races, as was once the case. Instead, it has become political. I don’t feel I’m better than anyone else, but as a white male I’m constantly bombarded with “reverse” racism. I’ve seen minorities establish events and refuse to allow whites to attend. I’ve listened as performers make fun of everything from the way white people dance to the way they speak. Until we get passed this acceptance of racism by any group that’s not white, while claiming any white person who disagrees with a minority is a racist, we as a people won’t be able to move forward. — Chris, USA
Since I do not live in the US I cannot comment on life there. But here in Canada there seems to be no problems caused apart from what the Europeans bring from the east. It seems that the Europeans who live here are the ones who brining small pockets of racism within their communities, mainly Italians, Yugoslavians, Romanians or Russians. So maybe here in the west, racism may have seceded but Europeans who always claim to be superior and more progressive should look at their own back yard. — James, Canada
I think Dr. King’s dream is coming true slowly and gradually. As a black man and a student at a university, I think the black community have achieved a lot in the last forty years; their will come a day when all the Americans no matter what their race is will be working together in peace and harmony. Today in this modern world there is racism, not only amongst the white community but also in the black community. Slowly and gradually we a coming out of the dark ages of bigotry and racism. — Michael Heykal, Texas, U.S
Racism and discrimination still exist everywhere in the world. Dr King was a pioneer, but don’t just dream of a nation, dream of a world where our character is what defines us all. — James, Australia
Martin Luther King’s dream will always be that, a dream. We as human beings are a hating group. I mean in the UK Asians and blacks were abused racially but then it stopped and the whole nation now turns itself on to refugees blaming them for everything that’s going wrong with this country. We seem to have the need to shift blame onto someone else, and the easy answer is blame it on someone who is different. — Sanjaya, UK
I live in the most racist City in the US (Richmond was the Capital of the Confederacy) and in one of the most conservative southern states in the US. And I still believe that racism has declined by leaps and bounds. We have had a black governor, many on our city council are black, many of the police officers are black, our city planner is black. I think most of the racism that exists today is in rural America with dumb rednecks. — Tristan, Richmond Va., USA
What do you see when you first meet a person? The most striking identification is certainly the gender, and then skin colour. This is natural but we have emphasized these characteristics so much over the years that we still haven’t untangled ourselves from it. I feel that racism is inherent in every culture, to lift oneself by degrading others. Until that changes Mr. King’s dream will still be a dream. — Hamza Sheikh, USA
As a white man I do not want or expect there to be any barrier to anything people want to do in life other than their own capabilities. But I am not responsible for the injustices committed by previous generations nor am I prepared to pay for them financially or through pro minority policies. There is no such thing as positive discrimination - all discrimination is wrong. In return for equal rights all sectors of society should lose the chip of historical victimisation from their shoulders. — Mike, UK
Racism is immoral whatever its form. The selfish man suffers more from his own selfish more than the one it is intended for. — LAWRENCE, Nederlands
Racism is gradually reducing in gravity. But it will not in a significant way until the so called ‘western world’ stop propelling that only what exists among them is real. And that the rest of the world must live through their own eyes. — REX-O, Nigeria
Why does America have over half of their prison population of 2million people of colour in 2003? Why are so many thousand young African-American and Hispanic males either in jail or on probation or parole instead of working? What is the purpose of the Patriot Act if not to curtail the rights and civil liberties of the weak and vulnerable in American society? More work needs to be done to achieve more of the Dream. A few individual blacks may have achieved their dreams, the overall majority are still struggling with the hegemonic police state of Republican America today. — Ednelo, USA/Nigeria
Sadly, Dr King’s notorious “dream” remains just that, a dream. As a Caucasian woman married to an African, I have seen first hand the subtle injustices and disturbing discriminatory attitudes and policies directed against the black man. All you have to do is read a report here and there about a modern day lynching of a black man by white supremists or about a high school that, until recently, held segregated proms to prevent its white student population from becoming tainted, or from mixing, with the culture of the black students.
Unfortunately, it is largely the colour of a man’s skin which determines his value and potential for success in American society. I suspect this attitude is present elsewhere, as well, but it is a pervasive force in a white hegemonic culture such as ours. Racism might have gone underground but it is still alive in the land of the free and is often masked by so-called political correctness. I, too, have a dream that one day biracial children, like my beautiful daughter, will become the majority, a branch on every family tree in America. Until that day, I fear there will still be intolerance and prejudice towards people of colour the world over. — Amy, US
Dear Amy, US: It’s all very good when you rightfully complain about racism. However, how come it is not a racist comment when you say “I, too, have a dream that one day biracial children, like my beautiful daughter, will become the majority…”. Would it be racist if I said “I wish white people like my beautiful son will always be majority”? — Mustafa Yorumcu, UK/Turkey
I take issue with Amy from the US, the guy who runs the biggest American company on earth (GE) is an Afro American who began his career at the company as a janitor. Then there is Colin Powell; in the top ten earners in America’s legal profession four are of Afro American roots… etc. Treating all whites with the same brush is fuelling resentment. I think, slowly but surely Dr King’s remarkable words are coming to pass. These things do take time. Please think and try to see the positive advances before you trot out the same negative/no hope line because you do the positive movement harm. — Roger, England
Young black men still don’t seem to be climbing out of the inner-city rut of poverty and crime as fast as young Hispanics and Asians. Does this stem from racism? It’s more complicated than that. Many inner-city black youths see doing well in school, going to university, and having a career as simply not part of their culture. These are “white” things, and if you follow that path, you are “selling out” and leaving your culture and your community behind. Will this phase pass in a few generations? I don’t know. — Matt, US
I turn on the TV and see black shows, actors, commercials… I watch the news, I see black officials. I’d say yes his dream has come true to a large extent. The racism you all are talking about, everyone is suffering from. Hey how would you like to be a “Seyed Mohammad Saeed”? I bet you can’t even buy an airplane ticket! You want be arrested in the middle of a shopping centre? Start speaking Arabic. Come on folks discrimination against black people is fading away. Now it is time to discriminate against middle eastern. And guess what? They don’t even have a MLK, because they don’t live in America. Where they live they get killed before they even attempt to make a speech. — Sami, USA
No, it has not. In fact, we have just the opposite of King’s dream. Public institutions regularly hire according to a racial quota and our public universities also routinely base their admissions on skin colour. This is hardly judging people by their character. — Jeff, USA
When visiting Tulsa, Oklahoma, I happened upon a bar full of black people. This surprised me initially as I’d seen few black faces in Tulsa up until then. I was welcome to drink in the bar (the only white face in there) and without intimidation. When I asked someone inside why all the other bars I’d been in (even in the same area) were full of white people only and then there was this bar - suggesting a policy of segregation. I was told that black people in Tulsa did not feel comfortable in the presence of whites, because they were regularly victims of physical and verbal abuse in such instances. This is an example of how, although enforced segregation is illegal within the US, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t still happening. — Jan Beardall, UK
So far it seems that we’re only focusing on those of African descent. Dr King’s speech applied to ALL races. African-American (African), Hispanic, Asian, Native American and yes, Caucasian. I think we’re starting to get the idea, and we’re on the way to fulfilling his dream, but we won’t get there until everyone’s skin colour is forgotten altogether. — Christine, US
Martin Luther King is surely one of the great leaders of our time. Sadly there are not many people ‘big’ enough to do justice to ‘I have a dream’ or ‘Ich bin ein Berliner’ or even ‘Never in the field…’ All these people were great, they made the speeches great, not the other way round. — Simon Mallett, UK
Today is the first time I have read Dr King’s speech, and I can only shake my head and ask why are such good men always shot down. I pray his dream will come to be one day soon. — Margaret, Scotland
I was not alive in 1963, but judging by the success of men like Colin Powell and women like Condoleezza Rice, it seems that Dr King’s dream is much closer to reality than it has been in the past. If only all disaffected and disenfranchised people could see the wisdom of passive resistance, perhaps regions like the Middle East, Sri Lanka, Ulster, and countless other places could achieve just and equitable settlements. Violent demonstrations bring nothing but the promise of violent reprisals. True martyrs suffer with dignity and do not blow themselves up along with scores of innocent civilians. — Pete Comas, NYC
Martin Luther King’s dream has come true to some extent but there is still a great deal to be achieved. Racism and injustice towards ethnic minorities still exists and not just in the US. It is a problem all around the world. We have started on the path towards his dream but there is still a long way to go. Tryphena, UK
Nearly! Segregation and racism was outlawed in 1976 - over the next 20 years we have become a more tolerable society - treating people as personalities and not by the colour of their skin. However today we have the opposite happening in places of divide such as Wrexham and Burnley and now we must learn to embrace and live in peace! — Allan Dade, England
By and large, Dr King’s dream has come to fruition. Progress on the racial front has been nothing short of spectacular since his speech, despite rhetoric to the contrary. I encourage all visitors to the US to ask black Americans if racism is a major obstacle in their lives. Almost invariably, you’ll find that American immigrants from Africa - those whom you’d believe to be most affected by racism - say racism is almost non-existent. It is only those native-born African-Americans who have been raised in a culture of victimization who still hold that racism is a serious impediment to their ability to lead a happy and successful life in America. Is everything perfect? No. But we should appreciate and celebrate the incredible progress we’ve made, and continue to make, trying to create a society based on character, not colour. — Lawrence, USA
I’m not in the US, so can’t comment for life on the streets. One thing hip hop, and rap in particular (and I speak as a lover of that music) has given to people worldwide, not just to middle class whites, is an understanding of the exploitation in America which is not simply racially based. Yes, black people can “make it” in the US but there is still a deep rooted down-trodden class in America, restricted to “projects/ghettos” where drugs and related violent crime have turned black on black, and from the oppressors point of view (whoever the “oppressor” is) this has achieved divide and rule, whereas MLK achieved change through peaceful unity. With the male ego so dominant in rap culture, dissing brothers and sisters of all races, MLK must turn in his grave at the thought of what it brings to the progression of civil rights in America (but it is still infectiously good music). — Rob UK, UK <
They call him “America’s Mayor.” But to blacks that title sugarcoats Rudy Giuliani’s real reputation as one of the most racially divisive leaders in the nation. Peter Noel’s book puts Giuliani’s often-ignored record of oppressing the “other New York” front and center in the 2008 presidential race.
DENVER — Barack Obama accepted the Democratic Party presidential nomination on Thursday, declaring that the “American promise has been threatened” by eight years under President Bush and that John McCain represented a continuation of policies that undermined the nation’s economy and imperiled its standing around the world.
Four years ago, I stood before you and told you my story - of the brief union between a young man from Kenya and a young woman from Kansas who weren’t well-off or well-known, but shared a belief that in America, their son could achieve whatever he put his mind to.
Now, I don’t believe that Senator McCain doesn’t care what’s going on in the lives of Americans. I just think he doesn’t know. Why else would he define middle-class as someone making under five million dollars a year? How else could he propose hundreds of billions in tax breaks for big corporations and oil companies but not one penny of tax relief to more than one hundred million Americans? How else could he offer a health care plan that would actually tax people’s benefits, or an education plan that would do nothing to help families pay for college, or a plan that would privatize Social Security and gamble your retirement?
But 100 years later, we must face the tragic fact that the Negro is still not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land.