Recently, Cornel West posed the following query on his website, in a section called 'Stand Up, Speak Out,' asking for the general public's response. He asked, "Do you think Dr. King's dream has been fulfilled by President Obama?"
I said the following:
No, Dr. Martin Luther King's dream was not fulfilled by the election of President Obama. Martin Luther King was about total equality for all people, regardless of race, gender, creed, or nationality. Having an African American man inaugurated as president doesn't qualify as the answer to the "I have a dream" speech. Dr. King wasn't hoping for political position; rather, he was hoping for racial equality. Dr. King wouldn't have cared that a black man got elected when racism still exists in America. Consequently, when President Obama was elected, racism didn't cease to exist. The freedom MLK sought will only be realized when there is no more racism! Dr. King spoke for black, white, red, purple, green...all colors and races, not just the race he was assigned to by the Almighty. Even though Dr. King was a human being, who was just as finite and frail as all humans, he spoke like a prophet. His words rang true then, much as they do now. Dr. King's dream will only be fulfilled when we stop hating people for what they look like and only hate the actions of evildoers.
