Dear Commons Community,

On this day we  remember with great affection and a great deal of thanks, the contribution of Martin Luther King, Jr. to our country.  His messages of peace and racial understanding still reverberate for those us fortunate to have heard his words.  There will be many references to his great oratory.  Surely, parts of his “I had a dream” speech will be played throughout the media today.

Paul Krugman, in his column, in reference to the power of King’s “Dearm” speech;

“[it] has lost none of its power to inspire. And some of that dream has come true. When King spoke in the summer of 1963, America was a nation that denied basic rights to millions of its citizens, simply because their skin was the wrong color. Today racism is no longer embedded in law. And while it has by no means been banished from the hearts of men, its grip is far weaker than once it was.”

While we surely have other issues related to class, poverty, and politics in this country, we are far better off because of Dr. King.

Peace!

Tony