‘I have a dream’ is a speech that has been related with slavery and its subsequent abolishment. The speech speaks volumes in terms of the black community and the need for them to fight for their rights. Using the speech as an artefact, with the view of Neo-Aristotelian, we shall analyse how Dr. King influenced the global look of racism and the achievements so far. Martin Luther King Jr had various issues against the whites and the blacks alike on the issues of racism. His was not just a biased speech but also one that spoke of America, a land of multiple races. The speech gained a lot of recognition among the blacks simply because Martin Luther King Jr was black. It was a call for unity and equality, a time to be mindful of each other’s welfare. The speech was based on biblical principles that admonished Christians to love one another irrespective of their skin colour or status in life.
According to Martin Luther King Jr, racism is a mental issue rather than a physical one. This applied both to the whites and to even blacks. The attitudes that they held towards each other hindered them from achieving the freedom that they have. So serious is the issue that the innocent children are polluted by their parents to keep off from a certain race because they are either slaves or bad people. I have a dream is a speech that speaks of a new America that looks at all citizens alike. A country where there are no whites or blacks but simply American citizens. A country that will not value a citizen by their economic status but by their contribution to national building. Luther recognized the fact that both the whites and the blacks had significantly contributed to the growth of the nation. Even the blacks that were considered as slaves did much more by serving their masters and even fighting in wars just to make America a better place.
The speech was considered one of the most emotional and touching dreams that a black man could have towards a country. It was also a revelation towards the whites and the blacks who knew they had a responsibility to fight slavery in United States. The blacks had the biggest responsibility as they had to prove that they had the rights to live in America. It was a fact that the nature of being in America in the first place was not necessarily planned for yet they were born and brought up in the land (King, 1963). They had to fight for the freedom even if it meant with their blood. This was a call for them to sacrifice not just for themselves but for the sake of their subsequent generation. Martin Luther predicted that indeed the road to freedom will not be an easy one and that it may take longer but in the long run, it will be achieved. This meant that whatever they did, they may not live to enjoy its fruits but their generation will. “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.”
Martin Luther King Jr was Christian priest who was angered by the trend of racism. It was painful for him to see blacks suffer in a land they had contributed so much to its development and where they were born. His speech was motivated by the fact that America is generally a Christian nation. It had boasted of sending many missionaries outside and even had pastors that claimed to preach the gospel. It was sad that as a fellow preacher, he was discriminated by fellow pastors who did not what to associate with his quest of slave abolishment. This reveals that slavery was such a deep-rooted issue that was beyond Christian teachings. It was unfair for a white preacher to teach about Christ yet he did not observe the teachings of Christ. The aim of Luther was not to condemn white preachers but rather to birth some sense to them. The speech was meant to exhort them to understand the bible and the practical lessons that they need to apply.
The slave mentality, which the blacks still held against themselves, prevented from accessing basic amenities. They had accepted the position and hence doing little to free themselves. It was time they had to realise that they were living in a white dominated society and for them to equal them, then they had to prove it by their actions. Freedom was not something that they will simply be given free but they had to work hard to obtain it. Even though the blacks were fighting for equal opportunities, they had little in terms of education. They had numerous talents, which they did not utilize to acquire some good positions in the society. Among the blacks, there were a few who were educated and if they could sacrifice and pass on the skills to their fellow blacks, they will be knowledgeable enough to fight for their rights ( King, 1963). It is unfortunate that most blacks were suffering because they were ill informed about their rights. It would be impossible for the blacks to fight for the rights they were not even aware of and that is why it was important for them to acquire education.
The whites on the other hand still held the slave mentality against the blacks, which made them not to appreciate the contributions that had made to the country. They failed to realise that blacks were equally talented and that their circumstances were caused by illiteracy. They underestimated their capability if they accessed similar resources and not called names whenever they saw them. This made even though most talented of the Africans not to come out as they believed they were inferior and the best they could do is serve in the farms and houses of their white masters.
Another serious issue that was Luther addressed was the impartation that both the whites and blacks had towards their children. It was disturbing why there were separate schools for whites and blacks, which hosted children that were not born in slavery and therefore had no idea about the beef. The fact is when the children are inquisitive about it, they are told negative stories about the other race of which they develop to hate. Children, who cannot discriminate another basing on the skin colour, were in fact the best to assist in arresting the issue of slavery. If the parents told them good stories about each other rather than discouraging them interacting with each other, it would become easier. Both white and black parents would get furious whenever they see their children interacting with each other. They discouraged them and gave them enough reasons why the other race is not good. Martin Luther did not despair and believed that one day, things will be different, “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."”
When the children, who are the future of the American society, are taught about discrimination at a younger age, then America would be far from fighting the issue. He therefore encouraged parents and the government at large to allow black and white children to learn together. Bu this, they will be able to know each other’s capabilities and subsequently helping each other grow. Luther did not just say this for the sake of empowering the black community but rather for the growth of America. He insisted that the blacks were in the country to stay and unless they were accommodated into the system and be economically empowered, they will be a burden to them. The earlier they empower them, the better it will be for the economy in the future.
It is unfortunate that the kind of life that the blacks had been subjected to led many into criminal activities. The youths mostly who were not educated went into drugs and some of them were directing their anger to whites. Most black youths had lost hope in their lives, they were therefore not afraid of dying. All they could is engage in alcohol and other drugs, which made them hostile. Such hostility was also directed to their fellow blacks, which made the situation even worse. This was in fact one of the reasons why the whites shunned them and even discouraged their children from associating with them. Blacks were considered to be hostile people who engaged in all manner of drugs. The whites were afraid that if they allowed the interactions, their children would either be influenced into the mess or harmed.
However, when looking at the issue of equality, considerations were never made on the situations that led to engagement in drugs and immoral activities. The fact is, blacks were becoming social misfits and unless something was done fast, it would cost America a great deal. It was a high time for the blacks who had acquired some skills to encourage their fellow blacks who were living in deplorable conditions. The empowerment of the blacks largely depended on the blacks themselves rather than the whites. Blacks needed to free their hearts and minds, develop a positive attitude towards life, persevere I order to acquire the most important ingredient for freedom which was education and they will be better placed in the society. The activities they were engaging also contributed to them not being respected and appreciated by the whites.
It is clear from the speech that America needed a deliver, a person that would be able to predict the future in line of what was happening at the time. Many decades after the speech was read, America is a better place. Even though the fight is not yet over, tremendous progress has been experienced (Black, 1978). One of the greatest achievements is seeing America, a white dominated country with a black president serving his second term in office. Martin Luther in his speech dreamt of such a time “Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.” In the days of martin Luther king, it was unimaginable that a white man would allow a black man to rule over them let alone give him their vote. America also boasts of numerous black leaders who have transformed the economy of the country for the better. Educations and good health care facilities that was a vocabulary to the black man have now been made compulsory in the country. Most institutions hire not basing on skin colour but rather academic qualifications and work experience.
The blacks currently dominate the art industry, which remained unexploited in America. Education enabled them realise their talents and gifting which has helped them uplift their economic status as well as that of their fellow blacks. After the speech, blacks realised the importance of unity and sacrificing for each other (Black, 1978). The spirit of brotherhood was once more birthed within them and they learned that they had to be each other’s keeper. Blacks shared the same history and experienced similar problems. It hence did not matter whether one of them was educated or not, they would still be discriminated by the whites who were united in promoting the vice. It was hence ridiculous for a black to look down on a fellow black or worst still not stretch their hand to help them up when they had the ability.
This stirred up the spirit of the few blacks that were educated to establish some informal schools where they taught the blacks. What started as an informal form of education went along in helping blacks have formal institutions. Women were not left behind as they were taught on family planning methods and how to live in hygienic environments. With the knowledge acquired, several movements were formed which fought for the rights of the black man. It had to take the courage and persistent of some few black individuals who were not afraid to die to speak for the blacks (Rieder, 2013). The crusaders, who included women, faced a lot of resistance even from the very blacks they were defending. It has been quite a tough journey and even though most of them are not alive to enjoy the fruits, the dream is finally being fulfilled.
The American government has put in place strong laws against discrimination, which minimize on the rate at which blacks are discriminated. Apart from a few cases of discrimination still being reported, the black man has come out strong to defend what they believe is their rights. They are not intimidated by white supremacy as they realised they have equal abilities (Foss, 2009). They can freely vote and elect a person of their choice, enrol to whatever school or learning institution as long as they have the resources to fund it. Blacks are not just confided to states with deplorable conditions but are wide spread even in places that were exclusively for whites.
Slavery is not just a term that was used to describe blacks that were ambushed to America to work, but also related to the situations that women were subjected to. It was during this season of the discovery of the black man that a woman was also considered to be enslaved by cultural practices. After the movement started to yield positive results for the black man, the same was used to empower the woman. This implies that the speech by Martin Luther King Jrjr had an overall impact on the society. It started with the black man in America, spread to the woman of America and now the same is being applied in the rest of the world. Unity and equality has been considered to be a key ingredient for economic growth. it has been realised that each person has a great role to play in national building. People can only realise their potential if they are exposed to similar opportunities and environment.
Martin Luther King Jr may have been looked at as a desperate black preacher seeking publicity at the moment. however, looking back, we realise that the speech was not simply made up but came out of a revelation of the future America. Luther is considered one of the black activists that changed America for the better. I have a dream speech is frequently used by people who are aspiring change that seems hard to attain. It acts as a reminder that however ridiculous a dream may appear, it will ultimately happen if it is accompanied by hard work.
Many times, we usually expect change and freedom to come from outside sources not realising that we are the change that is needed by the world. It is not just enough to desire and demand for something. Unless it is accompanied by actions, it will not bear any fruit. An important lesson learnt from the speech is that some sacrifices need to made not just for us but also our children. We have a responsibility to build strong foundations that our children will always be proud of even after we have gone. This also implies that we should never take for granted what we currently enjoy as we may not understand what it took for us to be where we are. The only way to appreciate such change is to utilize it well and again not throw the freedom to the dogs.
Reference list
Black, E. (1978). Rhetorical criticism: A study in method. Univ of Wisconsin Press.
Foss S. K. (2009). Rhetorical Criticism: Exploration and Practice. London: Waveland Press, Incorporated.
King, M. L. (1963). The" I Have a Dream" Speech. The Center.
Rieder, J. (2013). Gospel of Freedom: Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail and the Struggle That Changed a Nation. New York: Bloomsbury Publishing
