I started thinking about Martin Luther King Day last night and I had just started a biography of Sojourner Truth, a female slave who left a mark on her world and America. There is a play about her called: God and a Woman.

MLK’s speech, “I had a dream” was equivalent to the Gettysburg Address.  I think that if he were alive today he would give a new speech, maybe even stronger than his original, amazing words.

I think he would continue to decry the racism that still exists. He would exhort us to insist on equality for everyone, no matter what their race, religion or lack of one, education, economic status, or perceived or actual disability.

I think he would be speaking out for progressive ideas and working hard to get Congress to do their jobs. I think he would have a lot to say about all of the fighting in the House and Senate. It is a shame he is not here to raise that thundering voice for the people of America. He was a great man. A man I respect enormously.

I know that I have a dream today, and I do think that Martin Luther King would approve.

I dream that we can Stop the War on Women. I dream that we can Stop Violence in the Home. I dream that we can make sure every child has a good education. I dream that we can stop banks and other lending facilities from gouging students on their student loan payments.

I dream that  No means No and that all rapists or molesters will be punished as severely as if they had committed murder. Because  rape is a sort of murder:  it kills a victim’s life and sense of safety and is a horrible violation that changes the victim’s life forever.

I dream that all countries take in refugees and treat them with respect and care for their needs. We have done it before, when the refugee could have been looking to do America harm. But we took in the Jews, Poles, Gypsies and refugees from other countries. Jihad is a war. We need to respond to those who are homeless, stateless, hungry and in need of clothes and food.  One country cannot do it all but if we were to work together, there would be much less suffering for those on the run.

I think Martin Luther King would agree with these thoughts and he would say it much better than I can. But he isn’t here to do that, because those who were small-minded and threatened by a black man saying courageous things stopped him in the most final and violent way possible. So we must say it, on his behalf and on behalf of everyone else who cannot speak for themselves.

We must have a dream where every person receives equality and justice. MLK would be so upset about the mass murders and cops killing black people and Asian people and Hispanic people and yes even Caucasian people.

I believe if we work together we can make his dreams come true. We can create the world he envisioned. We can take care of each other and feel a responsibility for other people. We can stand shoulder to shoulder with each other and with his memory to make this world just, equal and peaceful for all people and countries.

Namaste,

Barbara

Martin Luther King Jr.