Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech was delivered during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963. In it, he called for civil and economic rights as well as an end to racism in the United States.
Ask yourself: Is our world today what Martin Luther King Jr. meant when he said "I have a dream?" Today, the constant oppression of Black people continues as it is used to strengthen white supremacy and the broken system that doesn’t properly govern. Is this what Martin Luther King Jr. meant when he said “All men, yes, Black men as well as white men, [will] be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?" Considering the increasing instances of police brutality in America, Black people aren't even guaranteed life. Moreover, we can’t jog, play in our yards, walk back from stores in the dark, sleep in our beds, have a taillight out on our cars, or pay for our groceries in peace. So how do we make it to the guarantees of liberty and the pursuit of happiness? This cannot be the America of Martin Luther King Jr.'s dreams. Or the America that red, white, and blue flags wave for. The celebration of freedom through fireworks and hotdogs simultaneously celebrates children being put in cages on our southern border, and more often than not, whiteness allows many to look past it. Today, we are in an America where people continue to be blinded by white privilege. This includes the insurrection of January 6th, 2021. After months of peaceful protests from the Black Lives Matter movement all over the world (which were repeatedly met with heavy artillery, rubber bullets, tear gas, handcuffs, and arrests), a group of armed, violent white terrorists walked into the Capitol like it was a regular Wednesday. However, I ask the question, what would it have been like if Black Lives Matter protestors would've tried to storm the capitol? From personally being out in Washington, DC, there were thousands of military armed men whose hands were on the trigger because my Black skin is seen as a weapon. We do not have the privilege of assumed innocence. Due of this, the disgust that sits at the bottom of my stomach is because we are living in two different Americas. I believe this is not what Martin Luther King Jr. envisioned, not what he fought for, and not what he dreamed of as he spoke to over 250,000 civil rights supporters from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Martin Luther King Jr wasn’t asking for much. He just wanted basic human rights for everyone. He wanted us to treat each other with respect and decency. He dreamed that even with all of our differences in society, we would look forward and embrace the uniqueness that makes us. He hoped we would all realize at the end of the day that we are all people with feelings, needs, and that we all make mistakes. I think what most people miss about Martin Luther King Jr.'s message is that he wanted us to love one another as if we were all friends and family. With such a basic message of loving your neighbor, he was able to inspire change and impact a whole generation of people. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his speech in 1963. America, it is 2021. When will we do better? When will white people support and uplift Black people? Hasn’t enough of our blood been shed? Don’t we deserve basic human rights past life, but liberty and the pursuit of happiness? When will you wake up and fight with us and for us? After all, we are your doctors, fashion designers, athletes, models, lawyers, artists, chefs, business owners, nurses, dancers, and everything else. We are the blueprint and our lives deserve to be valued. Sincerely, a tired Black woman, Amaya Jernigan About Amaya: Amaya Jernigan is a junior biology major who attends West Virginia University. Amaya is a part of the first Black sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. Amaya makes strides to better the West Virginia area by writing legislation about equity and inclusion to change things on her campus. Amaya is intending to run for Student Government Association President in spring 2021. When her efforts succeed, she will be the first Black woman to hold the Student Body President title. Amaya works endlessly to give back to her community and West Virginia University is lucky to have her.
3 Comments
Jada
1/17/2021 08:58:25 pm
Amazing
Reply
10/19/2022 05:00:28 am
Tend front class rate it. Individual history station can.
Reply
11/11/2022 10:26:42 am
News state debate stay authority president food. Form fine value decide.
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 West Virginia Black Heritage Festival has been canceled but that doesn't mean we're taking a break! Archives
January 2021
Categories |