Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard Donald Trump’s catchphrase “Make America Great Again.” He has said much, through both words and actions, about his plans to implement change, changes that many people do not agree with. But Trump is not the first person to envision a different and a better America.
More than fifty years ago, Martin Luther King Jr. uttered some of the most famous words in history: "I have a dream." The profoundness of those words still hits home to this day. Words are powerful, but they become even more powerful when they are spoken. Vocalizing thoughts instead of internalizing them makes them more real and holds you accountable. When you declare your thoughts to an audience, it means you are willing to actually do something.
Martin Luther dreamed of change just like Trump, just like Obama, just like we all do. Unfortunately, though, this often gets lost in translation because we focus too much on our differences: religious affiliations, political parties, race, gender, education, etc.
Where does that get us?
We have all been given different gifts and talents so that we can work together. We cannot function properly if we do not collaborate.
Today we honor and remember a man who was incredibly influential in the civil rights movement and continues to impact our nation today.
In his I Have a Dream speech, one of the greatest speeches of all time, Martin Luther King Jr. stated, “if America is to be a great nation, this [freedom for all] must become true. So let freedom ring.” Martin Luther wanted to make America great again long before Trump popularized the slogan. More than half a century ago, Martin Luther recognized that making America great was about opportunity for all, justice for all, acceptance of all and working all together.
It’s been over fifty years since Martin Luther’s speech, but this is still an important conversation to have. Change is a slow, and sometimes grueling, process. Change is not an immediate fix, and it is not a solo project. But we cannot sweep problems under the rug. We must acknowledge that inequality and injustice exist all around our nation and in our world. Change begins with a conversation and gradually works its way into the hearts of people who then dedicate their lives to putting others first and making a difference.
We cannot sit still and expect anything to change. We cannot be content with the way things are now. If we want to truly make America great again, we must experience life together by understanding our neighbors’ cultures and perspectives. We must be honest and unafraid to discuss hard and uncomfortable topics.
The time is now. If nothing changed yesterday, we try again today and tomorrow, and we persevere until the job is complete. To quote Martin Luther again, who quoted Amos 5:24: “No. No, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until 'justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.’”
