Mine Eyes Have Seen The Glory

Now is the time, to make real the promises of democracy.

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 quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood.

Now is the time!

I have a dream...

Every valley shall be exalted.

I have a dream...

Every hill and mountain shall be made low.

I have a dream...

My children will not be judged by the color of their skin. [but upon the content of their character]

This is our home.

Let us rise up tonight...

I've been to the mountain top, and I've looked over and seen the promised land.

I may not get their with you, but I want you to know that we, as a people, will get to the promised land.

I'm not worried about anything, I'm not fearing any man.

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!

***

The battle against racism and prejudice has changed form; become a game of innuendos and conspiracy theories rather than blatant slurs of days past.

But we can reach the promised land. We have come far since the days of these fateful words that resound with us still.

We have elected a black man to the highest office in the United States, we have forced openly racist elements to the fringe of society where they always belonged.

But these are not the days that the lies and fabrications about the first black president and over those coming here to seek a better life from Mexico will come to end.

These are the days that such bile is standard for the same people who sought to silence Rev. King and continue to abuse and distort his message of non-violence and anti-war stances for their own purposes.

But if you believe you may stand aside, may be allowed to ignore the progression of injustice and those who help maintain its veil from the world, and ever see the promised land for yourself or your children or their children ... you would be gravely mistaken.

Those who stand now in the mighty echo of Rev. King and the Civil Rights Movement must see that failing to carry the torch that lights up injustice is to do an injury and show disrespect to all that was fought for up until this point.

If this country will stand idly by while a white television broadcaster calls a black president "racist" ... then we are further from the promised land than I ever imagined.

If this country will stand idly by while white lawmakers establish fascist racial profiling laws upon those of only brown skin living in Arizona ... then we are further still from the promised land.

The dream has yet to fade into the darkness.

It will take the truly righteous rising up once more, rediscovering our lost value for honesty and truth in the dead of this wretched night.

"Let freedom ring!"