Nothing Like It

There is nothing like a dream to create the future.
-Victor Hugo

MLK certainly would have agreed with Hugo on this, as he found it important to share his dream - not just in the famous speech, but in all his speeches and work - with his fellow citizens. And King's dream has, indeed, served to create the future - our present. That we are inaugurating Barack Obama President of The United States tomorrow is not proof of "the dream" realized, but it is undeniable proof that some dreams from days of old comprise today's reality - things that once could not be now are.

Dr. King would be proud of this progress, but would be quick to remind us that Obama's election (or anyone's, for that matter) to our highest office is meaningless if he doesn't lead with love, spiritual integrity, and an insatiable hunger for justice and peace. Consider MLK's words, below...

I am not interested in power for power's sake, but I'm interested in power that is moral, that is right and that is good.

Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.

The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood.

We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now.

Means we use must be as pure as the ends we seek.

Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.

An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.

A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.

The greatest connection between MLK's birthday, celebrated today, and tomorrow's inauguration is not that our first African-American President will be sworn into office. The connection is that we have elected a leader who recognizes the wisdom in MLK's words, who will illustrate those words with Presidential actions, and who will ask every American and every citizen of the world to do it, too.

Let us all join him in pursuing the dreams of prosperity and goodness, justice and peace. May God bless you (for reading ZiggyBackRide) and may God continue to shower blessing upon The United States of America.