Now and Then

On Monday we, America, celebrated the life of a King...Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. You can just look at his name and understand that God had a plan for his life...King...hmmm. I mean there are others with the same surname, but my comment just goes to the fact that his name and life's work was most appropriate. Most know the story of the Civil Rights Movement, in some form or fashion. Black folks got the right to vote, access to housing and public space, better schools...equality in all things civil, hence the term. However, the irony is that these Civil Rights had been assured long before-just never upheld and protected. So legislation was drafted atop legislation which had been drafted to, how shall I say, supersede the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. In other words, that which the Declaration, well, declared, had not been enough. That all men were created equal...the ideology of equality was compromised, ironically, it was a mere half-truth or more appropriately 3/5th of the truth-(insert laugh if you think appropriate.)

None-the-less, on the backs of ancestors much stronger than any men or women present today the African people in American survived...subsequently, now African-American people have a totally different comprehension of the freedom their fore mentioned ancestors prayed to attained. I assume each generation of people has a different viewpoint with regard to their respective history. It is drawn from their own experiences and the translation of the experiences of those that came before them. Today one of the biggest oppressors of African-American people is in some respects African-American people, themselves. But that is not the issue in this entry. Dr. King was hope. He was one man, who represented the thousands that moved a country into a new and unfamiliar stage of enlightenment. Dr. King was arguably the most powerful African-American man of his time...and of all time for that matter. In this, power is not relegated to economic or social status, but to the ability to evoke change and make folks who would otherwise ignore you-listen and possibly act. Since April 3rd, 1968 African-American people have sought out a new leader...the nation has sought out a person with as deep a concern for the kaleidoscope of humanity...yet found no one.

That was then...til now. It must be understood that there is no comparison to Dr. King. The man is often defined by the situation he finds himself within, and how he overcomes and achieves in spite of it. The situation presented to King was an America deep within the throes of segregation, discrimination and injustice. Against overwhelming odds, he became the face of a collective movement into a foreign territory-the dream of a truly shared reality where prejudice is lessened by identifying the "sameness" of humanity. We are one nation, one people...America. The nation was summarily moved...both literally and figuratively speaking. That was then...til now.

There is no measurement stick on how far we have come. There are many opinions; my own life a grand illustration of the possibilities of my generation-1st male to go to college in my immediate family, 1st male to graduate, 1st male to receive a Master's degree and continue...others have followed and will continue to. This was the dream of my grandfathers, and those before them...it is now reality. But simultaneously, there is a large number within the collective African-American community who are suffering from poverty, mis-education, self-hate, injustice and indifference. Theirs is a reality dark in comparison and thus the measuring stick of progress serves no purpose or rather it cannot be applied consistently. Still, the possibilities of my generation and this time period are tremendous. Some may argue the possibilities are perhaps more than King could have imagined? I mean when I have a child I can tell them that he or she, can be anything...anything they want to be. He or she could even be President of the United States. Right?

Jesse Jackson, Sr., who stood beside King when he was gunned down at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, ran for President in 1984 and 1988. Although some argue it was more symbolic than substantive, it happened. For me as a child during the first campaign and a teen during the second, it was encouraging. I remember using his "Our Time Has Come" slogan in my campaign for class president in high school. Jesse did not receive the Democratic nomination and therefore did not win the election...but I did. His effort gave life to the work of King, regardless of the outcome of the actual election African-American people won something else during his presidential bid. It can be seen simply as relevance; it can arguably be seen as progress. The question then however, was could it be seen as realistic?

That was then...til now. It has been most recently stated that Illinois Senator Barak Obama is the first legitimate African-American candidate to seek the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. By legitimate, it is inferred that his possibility of winning is more probable than it has ever been for an African-American. I do not wish to debate that probability, or whether or not I feel he is ready; for this entry none of that even matters. The only point I am making, as I reflect on the dream of Dr. King, is the fact that this probability as it was so stated...is in fact the dream realized. It is in that probability, again whether big or small, that we are one step closer to whatever it is this country is destined to be. You see, it is not that African-Americans have never been capable of holding the highest office in the land...there are and have been some of the most capable human beings to ever exist within the African-American race. But it seems it was never probable.

The mere fact that the word probability has even been used still illustrates that there is a far way for this country to go to truly become a place where all men are regarded as equal. However, progress has been made. We, as a nation are moving. Despite all that is wrong with this country there is much that is right. Dr. King, and all the others who have lost their lives for their love of this nation have not died in vain. There is beauty here...I believe the future holds so much more. But alas, I too am a dreamer...for now. The Presidential election is in November of 2008...perhaps then, my dreams may begin to find realization.