Friday, February 25, 2011

The Power of a Dream

“I Have a Dream” is the title of a world famous speech delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963 by the great American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. While this speech is only one part of the March on Washington, it is considered to be that movement’s defining moment, as well as that of the entire American Civil Rights Movement. This landmark event, like many other speeches by Dr. King’s, provided inspiration and enlightenment not only for Black Americans, but people throughout America and worldwide, as well as future generations to come.

America was at a crossroads during this era. Like the classic song by Sam Cooke, “A Change Is Gonna Come”, America was at a place socially and politically where things were so chaotic that there had to be some revisions of past policies and procedures. “Negroes” had been denied their “natural citizenship rights” for far too long. Martin Luther King expressed this extreme need for change when he eloquently stated:  "It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning.” This statement, as well as the general language of this speech, was not only a demand for change, but it also contained a subtle warning to the white power structure and the United States Government if the demands for changes were ignored. Dr. King issued another subtle warning when he stated: “The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.” This embodies a somewhat militant and demanding type of attitude that is different to what many may expect from Dr. King. “I Have A Dream” not only inspires change, but demands it.

The hallowed steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. was the perfect location for this event. Not only is this a national stage where The Civil Rights Movement and this speech could reach the largest audience possible, it is also named after the President who signed the Emancipation Proclamation, thereby freeing the slaves. Martin Luther King acknowledged a certain kind of irony regarding the location for this monumental event. He obviously appreciated President Abraham Lincoln as “a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today”. However, King reminds us almost immediately that “one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free.” With this speech, King established the Lincoln Memorial into the nationwide venue for various civil rights demonstrations and social and political demonstrations, such as The Million Man March, organized by Louis Farrakhan in 1995, the inauguration of President Barack Obama in January 2009, and a major rally by the Tea Party in September 2010.

This speech and overall movement changed the way that many diverse groups approach their civil rights, and has inspired those groups to organize, protest, and demonstrate. In addition to The Black Panthers, who were obviously inspired by the Civil Rights Movement and the speeches of Dr. King, the California-based Chicano Civil Rights Movement, the Gay Rights Movement, and the above mentioned Tea Party movement, all use the Black Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s as a model. Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” will continue to influence and inspire Americans and others worldwide for generations to come.

My family and I at the MLK Memorial in Atlanta, GA

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Evolving My Critical Thinking


Critical thinking is the ability to examine, analyze, and critique theories, opinions, and bodies or works or art, and to be able to do this effectively without prejudice or bias. In order to be able to consider yourself to be an effective scholar, teacher, parent, or leader, the application of effective critical thinking is a must. A superior level of critical thinking also involves “reading between the lines”, to be able to hear and understand what has not been stated. These skills are required to analyze situations, make important decisions, and come to accurate conclusions about specific events and individuals, and their qualities and/or deficiencies. All leaders throughout the world, from local figures such as police, judges, teachers, and parents, as well as international figures like presidents, prime ministers, and generals, are expected to be superior critical thinkers.

I make diligent attempts to apply critical thinking to all that I do in my everyday life. Unfortunately, my ability to effectively use critical thinking can be somewhat hamstringed by personal preferences to specific topics. In other words, I can think, speak, and write much easier about topics that I have an interest in, such as history, politics, or genealogy, than I can about topics that I have no real personal attachment to, such as American literature, or poetry. For example, I have recently debated the logic and social values associated with a recent controversial topic, where it was proposed to remove the word nigger from “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”, and replace it with the word slave. As a student pursuing a degree in Pan-African Studies, as well as an African American individual, this is a topic that interests me personally, and as a result, is fairly easy for me analyze, discuss, or write about.  However, using the same critical thinking to otherwise discuss the writings of Mark Twain, which I have no real personal interest in, is definitely more of a challenge, because I would probably not choose to amuse myself with reading that specific type of literature to begin with. This troubles me to some extent, because I feel that not having more varied personal interests may be limiting my ability to evolve intellectually and think beyond my immediate concerns. My level of critical thinking would drastically increase if I was able to broaden my attention span to include topics that would not usually interest me.

With that said, I expect for this course (English 103: Critical Thinking and Research) to enhance my critical thinking ability by challenging me to expand my horizons to be able to acquire more varied interests, and deal with different types of subject matter that would not usually be on my personal radar. This will enable me to become a more successful parent, student, and teacher, and will be an asset to me in everyday life. My general perception of the world today, including my belief patterns and problem solving strategies, will possibly be changed as well. Actually, the challenge of this blog assignment has already helped to enhance my critical thinking abilities. The journey is far from over, and there is still some distance between Mark Twain and I. But I can feel myself getting closer, and it feels good!