Monday, January 19, 2009

A Night for Dreams

Hi folks, sorry I disappeared for a while there.... I have been in a bit of a funk since the new year and at the same time I've been trying to focus on my Step 3.... It's been a bit difficult to get back on track.... I even considered taking some SSRI's, at least in a mild form just to help me get over this last hump.... luckily I got a dose of Barack Obama this weekend.... his oratory and the symbolism which surrounds him has injected a little bit of hope and optimism back into my funkadelic existence.... how amazingly fitting, that today, dedicated to the great martyr of civil rights; the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., is also the eve of the inauguration of the first black president of the free world.... whether it's coincidence or Providence, I still can't get over the fact that I can watch this happen so soon in my lifetime.... young enough to look forward to what the next 40 years has in store, but old enough to truly appreciate how momentus this occasion really is.... tomorrow afternoon, PRESIDENT Barack Obama will add to the scripture of American history with his inaugural address.... but tonight, let us reflect on some old words, from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as we watch his dream unfolding before our eyes.... A happy 2009, happy MLK Day, happy Inauguration eve....

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

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

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

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

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

I have a dream today.

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

I have a dream today.

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 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 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. 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 snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes 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 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!"

from "Normalcy Never Again" a.k.a "I Have a Dream"
by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
on August 28, 1963 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial

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14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Angelooooooooooo!

haha!yes,im tweakin up my blog when you came!sorry for the confusion :)

now,i gotta read your post first and comment again!i was smiling kasi when i saw your messages,haha!

Anonymous said...

Free at last!!

I had a good read,Angelo...Thanks for sharing.God Bless the First Black Pres. of the US!!

Good luck on your step 3,Angelo...I am one of the many people praying for your success!!and yeah,I was really thinking of you.I`m glad you left me comments and felt relieved that you are well out there.

Hugs to Nermal and his "bros"!!
take care always!!

ghee

Anonymous said...

Thanks for dropping by!I've added u in my blogroll!and I'll follow ur site

Anonymous said...

P.S.

Don`t hate yourself,Angelo...
always remember the people around you that do care and love you so much...

cheer up!!God is with you,my dear...

nite nite...its so late here so i gotta go and hit the sack...

ingat lagi! :)

Anonymous said...

Am I the second here? :)

How are you, Angelooooo? Goodluck on your Step 3. We'll surely pray for your success.

Gotta go muna. I'll be back to comment again.

Puss-in-Boots said...

That is one speech that never fails to reach my soul, Angelo, and thank you for reprinting it on your blog.

I think Dr King would be a very happy man today if he could see President Barack Obama at his inauguration. The dream is coming true. There's a way to go yet, but great strides have been made toward freedom for every one of us.

Dennis Villegas said...

Those are very inspiring words from a great man! Happy Inaugural Day!

Anonymous said...

Ghee: Thanks Ghee, it's always the little things that really count the most :) I'm glad you texted me, I even almost lost interest in tomorrow.... now I can't sleep in anticipation of watching Obama take the oath of office. I hope the funk has lifted for good!

s: thanks too!

Mel: Ya Mel you are essentially the 2nd to comment :) No offense to s :) Thanks for your best wishes Mel, I appreciate it!

Puss-in-Boots: Thanks Robyn, I couldn't pass up paying tribute to such inspired words especially on this day and considering what tomorrow is.... it must be Providence. I know we haven't seen the full realization of the dream yet, but like MLK said the day before he was assassinated, he may not get to the promised land, but he had been to the mountain top and saw the promised land, and we would get there one day.... we of the Joshua generation must continue the journey....

Dennis Villegas: Happy Inauguration Day Dennis!

haze said...

The speech of Mr. Luther King gave me goosebumps Angelo! I've been listening to the radio a while ago and I've heard some of them...was thinking that his words were thoughts of the past, but will stay today and will finally go live worldwide tomorrow!

Don't worry Angelo there more important things than blogging. I am sure you've got some essential projects waiting for you. Hoping the Step 3 will be just perfect according to your wish !

Bonne chance et je penserai à toi dans cette épreuve! Toute mon amitié !

Anonymous said...

Haze: Salut Haze! American History is full of inspiring rhetoric isn't it, I can't wait to see how Obama will add to it today. Merci beaucoup Haze, prier pour moi svp.

Anonymous said...

Hi Angelo,welcome back!
I like this post (I am learning American History.
Well, you are not too late to say Happy New year to me. Actually, Vietnamese and chiness will celebrate New Year, the year of the Ox on Jan 26th...
Nice to hear from you!
Theresa

Anonymous said...

the phrase AMERICAN DREAM is always in the speech of whoever was proclaimed the winner. I just realized how powerful is that phrase....

its good to know that you're back with a very good post Angelo!

"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."

let me add... by the size of their waist...! lol

Anonymous said...

Nguyen: Thank you Sr. Theresa :) I'll wish you a happy lunar new year next week too :)

Anonymous said...

Christian Bryan: haha good one Bry, I'll remember that one!