Hello Blog world!I know my blog may be called Musical Musings (don't worry there are many music-themed blogs in the future), but today I decided to pay tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech is a common household title, but how many people have actually seen it? How many even know what it is? Today in my High School Psychology class, I watched the whole thing for the first time and found out that the "I Have a Dream" portion is just the charismatic conclusion to a longer work that is equally profound and fascinating. So here's what I gathered today.
MLK talks a lot about the passing of time in his speech. He opens with a brief history of emancipation and a moment of appreciation for
President Lincoln before leaping into the "100 Years Later" theme. He talks about how "100 years later, the Negro is still not free... an exile in his own land." Then he speaks out against the injustices of the government-controlled oppression of African Americans. He says America has defaulted on its promissory note of the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Then he moves to the present. "Now is the time!" he says. He's showing that August 28, 1963 was the lighting of a fire which "can never be satisfied" as long as African Americans are beaten, rejected, and oppressed. Then, in the well-known "I Have a Dream" portion, Dr. King looks to the future, and that future is now. Because of Dr. King's work, any child can now take the hand of another.
His greatest contribution, though, wasn't to the rights of African Americans alone. He helped all Americans by setting a precedent of speaking out against injustice. He knew that he was the centerpiece of "the greatest demonstration for freedom in American History", but I don't feel like he truly knew the scope of how inspirational he would be, not just to a race, but to all oppressed Americans. He founded a culture of peaceful protest as a way to change society. His message is timeless, current even to this day. The oppressed people of the 20-teens are usually considered the LGBT community, and I see the comparison. Dr. King's teachings haven't been forgotten in that movement either. As Macklemore says "It's the same fight that led people to walk-outs and sit-ins. It's human rights for everybody." No matter what kind of oppression any group may face, I hope Dr. King's words offer hope and encouragement to them. There's no need for violence, looting, arson, and theft. The best way to find change, as shown by Dr. King, is to embrace peace. So here's my official tip-of-the-hat to Dr. King and his work. I hope that his words can touch you as much as they did for me.
Musically,
William Miller
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