New Dreams for MLK Day

Today is the solemn anniversary of the assassination of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. I would like to use this post as a tribute to MLK’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Given all that has transpired since the 2016 elections, I would like to add some clauses to the dream…
I have a dream that the leader of the US will believe in and uphold the principles of the Constitution that all men and women are created equal and have the right to free speech. This includes the freedom of the press- not the suppression or demonization of it.

I have a dream that children will no longer need to practice lockdown drills and people can freely walk their neighborhoods and attend concerts without fear of being gunned down because the Supreme Court will realize that the intentions of the second amendment are not reflected in today’s reality.

I have a dream that race and ethnicity no longer matter as we all recognize that we have immigrants in our near or distant ancestors; and that people do not come from “s…hole” countries, but are judged by the situation they are in which brings them to seek residence in the US.

I have a dream that healthcare and social security will become civil rights. With the prospect of artificial intelligence taking away our jobs and well-being, we need a safety net that puts human beings before corporate profits.

I have a dream that nuclear war is never again on the tip of our tongues. There will be no reason to panic that we are about to be attacked, because we have all signed a nuclear armistice and have plans to deactivate our warheads.

I have a dream that people embrace the truth of science and history and agree to accept facts as facts and not seek to find their own “alternate facts”.

I have a dream that we can come together and compromise through civil debate and drop our partisan leanings for the common good; because we are not influenced by money, hate or tweets.

I have a dream where voting districts are drawn fairly and do not give excessive advantages to one party over another. And where people can vote without fear of being called in by ICE or the IRS. There should be no hardships presented to voters due to identification complications.

I know this is a lot to dream about, and it will not happen without action on the part of everyday citizens like ourselves. So write to your representatives, speak out at local meetings and events and contribute to causes that speak to your heart. We should each do what we can to make this world a better place tomorrow than it is today. That would be a fine tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King.