The Legacy & Sacrifice of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today we celebrated the incredible legacy and sacrifice of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  I am very thankful that our government recognizes Dr. King’s contributions to our country.  This recognition did not happen without a struggle.  Believe it or not there are many who do not believe that Dr. Martin Luther King should have a national holiday.   Jesus said that “there will always be the poor among us.”  He should have added the ignorant also.  It is only ignorance of the man, his contributions to the world and the results of what he has achieved, that anyone would believe a national day of recognition has not been earn and paid for in blood by him.  

MLK Day is not just a celebration for a black man but an American of African Descent who fought for the rights of all people of color and the conscience of this country that was built on great principles and even greater promises.   Dr. King made America keep its promise.   He is now immortalized at 1964 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20003 located in West Potomac Park in Washington, D.C., southwest of the National Mall.  I have been there and have seen the beautiful statue and wall with exerts from his great speeches.  It is an incredible site to see.   Dr. King has earned all the recognition we can give him.  I am very proud to be an American and an African American because of great men like Dr. King.   It is inspiring to have someone like Dr. Martin Luther King and many others in my community that were willing to sacrifice everything, including their life, so that we could be free and achieve all the potential that freedom gives to everyone who embraces her.  

MLK Day presents a unique opportunity not only to honor Dr. King and the many others who have sacrificed and struggled, but it also provides an opportunity to examine how and if African Americans are moving closer to achieving social and economic equality in America.   The Civil Rights movement made it possible for African Americans and minorities to benefit from the promises of the constitution and the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness.  Many African Americans are still struggling to make their dreams, of what those promises mean to them, a reality.  In addition, our civil rights are under attack with the recent Supreme Court decision regarding section 5 of the Voting rights act.  The national statistics about African American life in many important areas like education, wealth, and unemployment, teenage pregnancy, single mothers as heads of household, sexually transmitted disease, health , the incarceration of young black men and crimes in our community are alarming.  I will not go into the details at this time but the information and statistics are widely known especially in the African Community. 
 
What I can say now is that it is time for African American community leaders to deal aggressively with challenges we face in our community before we lose our children and continue down a path of destruction and a legacy of poverty and disenfranchisement.   We may have already lost an entire generation to drugs, gang violence and the prison system;  notwithstanding another generation of young people who have been heavily influenced by the rise of the Hip Hop culture that has undermined everything good in our community.  What is bad for us is now good for us, and what was wrong for us is now right.  The pursuit of excellence in education, personal development or self-improvement and the core values of our parents, grandparents and forefathers who were slaves have been overshadowed by the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life wrapped in a neat bow of narcissism that is plaguing our young people and being glorified in just about every song on the radio.    Have we lost them?  I am not sure but the evidence is very strong that we have and must start over with children in kindergarten though the 6 grade and get to them before they become caught up in this tragic Shakespearean play of life in the African American community.

Home ownership is diminishing rapidly in the African American community and we are becoming a permanent class of renters again, solidifying the legacy of poverty that already exists in our community by many.  As we watched the real estate market rebound and prices rise again African American will be priced out again and not able to participate in what will be a booming economy.  Behind every bust there is another boom.   Unemployment is very high in our community and you need a job to buy a house post the Great Financial Crisis.   It is has always been real estate that has lead minorities out of the grips of poverty.  The National Association of Real Estate Brokers known as the Realtist was started during the Jim Crow period in 1947 and participated in the struggle for equal rights in housing to help African American achieve the dream of home ownership.   It is real estate and the many jobs it creates and the jobs created in the automotive and construction industry boom, that gave rise to the black middle class.   As Realtist we must continue to fight for the dream of African Americans to achieve their best life possible and the American Dream of Home ownership.   The Realtist theme is “Democracy in Housing” and it is still very relevant today.   We must be about serving our community and doing our part to keep the dream of Home ownership alive and Dr. Kings Dream alive for which he gave his life.

You and I may not been called to give up our lives for any cause,  but people of all races all over the country will participate in Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service opportunities and parades in their community today.  Let’s all be inspired by Dr. King’s life to serve our community and do our part in helping someone live the dream not just today but every day.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Power Is Now Features Ivan Choi, the 10th Incoming National Chairman of AREAA

4 Steps to Become a Power Player

How Lender-Mandated Credit Overlays Undermine the Mission of the GSEs