If you mention Martin Luther King, Jr. to me the first thing I think of is this passage in the "I Have a Dream" speech:
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.
There is little doubt that America is in many respects has come a long way since that hot August day in Washington, D.C. in 1963 when Dr. King uttered those words.
But in other respects I believe we have taken many a step back over the past 53 plus years especially where it concerns our character.
Don't get me wrong. There are millions of Americans who give their time in service of others and do so with a quiet dignity. They lead by example and this example is followed by others.
Yet it was only 10 weeks ago that Americans freely chose Donald Trump to be our next President, a man who can only be described as of being devoid of scruples and values other than those that promote his vanity.
Of course, this is no endorsement of Hillary Clinton either. She is equally unscrupulous and like Trump believes that the rules don't apply to her.
One could argue that Americans weren't given much in the way of choice. But Democrats and Republicans all over the country put their faith in Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump with viable alternatives all around them especially in the case of the GOP. That Trump and Hillary ascended to these heights with Trump ascending to the ultimate height is a reflection of the descent of our character. A nation with better character would have decisively dismissed both Trump and Hillary. There is no way the country would have taken either seriously 30 years ago. Unfortunately, our character has changed and not for the better. Naturally, it took a long time for our character to be diminished and it shall take a long time for our character to be restored. With this in mind things are bound to get worse before they get better.
So what is the solution? More religion. If it is utilized in the service of others instead of one's own glory then yes. Unfortunately, many an Evangelical fawned over Trump without a moment's consideration to his boorish behavior. The prospect of power as an end rather than using power as a means to a greater end proved to overwhelming an opiate. An opiate that was not confined to those with strong religious convictions.
The Left is far from blameless here too. Democrats breathe and eat racial identity politics with its incessant cries of white privilege. Take a look at this "10 Way You Can Actively Reject Your White Privilege". It tells Caucasians "to take up minimal space during anti-racism dialogues and protests". If that isn't judging people by the color of their skin then I don't know what is.
Indeed, there is a friend of mine who during the week of MLK, Jr Day who would recite a portion of the "I Have a Dream" speech at a poetry club in the Boston area. When he did so a year ago, he was told he was causing "cross-racial discomfort". Why? Because he accurately quoted Dr. King's use of the word Negro. Well, good to know those who speak in the name of diversity judge people by their color of their skin.
Be it Left or Right and many points in between and beyond, Dr. King's words are lost on far too many Americans and our character is poorer for it.
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