If A King Had Lived

Today is the 40th anniversary of Martin Luther King's shooting.It may seem strange for a white person to do so, but I've often wondered what would have changed, had he lived. For me the anniversary raised more questions:Would we be a more racially stable society ? How would whites have changed their attitudes? Would all of us have become more Brother's Keeper oriented?

Are they still being told they are inferior? Why? Doesn't that imply that they aren't? What if they were the superior race? How would whites wish to be treated if this country were ruled by Blacks? That do unto others thing, does any one remember it?

I see more Blacks on television and in the movies. They enjoy higher visibility, breakthroughs in music and sports, commercials, film and and TV programming than when I was younger. It led me to think that race relations were better. But I'm not the one who should be saying if they are or not. As one of our Black country men or women if they think its better. How are we making it better?

My family and I go to more movies completely devoid of whites, I've been entertained and enlightened. Being stunted by the whites doesn't even come up in the story line. I appreciate these movies, because even though it's a movie, it gives me another perspective. I'm honored to be called friend by several ambitious Black folks. One a poet, husband, father, and hard working member of society. Another lives near Detroit. She runs her own PR business, and contributes her talents to the Habitat for Humanity group. She's been raising four very intelligent equally ambitious young ladies with out the presence of their white father.

A friend of mine lived all of her life believing she was 100% white bread. I always thought she reminded me of Mariah Carey or a pale Whoopi Goldberg (whose smile always made me smile) but it seemed inappropriate to say so. She recently discovered, after 50 years, that she is 1/16 Black. It is evident to the Blacks who see her. It wasn't evident to her. It didn't change my feelings for my friend one bit. She's always been loving, hardworking, successful and generous.

It isn't the color that makes up a person's character, it's the qualities they exhibit. The fruit of their spirit, if you will. Shouldn't we be encouraging all of our American brothers and sisters to strive to be the best people they can be? Wouldn't it be more interesting, more profitable, more benevolent to be a synergistic United States, with a round table for all the races in our borders?

I've listened to the I Have a Dream speech. It's a call to all sides, to join hands and make this a great country. It was similar at the core to the message from Rodney King. "Can't we all just get along?"

Where do you think we'd be if Martin Luther King had lived?