A majority of Americans get along every day, regardless of race or creed (“The Time Is Now,” Editorial, Aug. 28).
We work together, live in the same neighborhoods, worship in the same churches; we have interracial dating, mating and friendships.
I have met, worked for or been interviewed by black business owners — a far cry from the early ’60s. We have many black political leaders.
My black co-workers don’t worry about reparations; they struggle to provide for their families, pay bills and put their kids through school. They are fully immersed in the American dream of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, accomplished through hard work and perseverance.
Those who seek excuses about decades-old injustices might wonder why many have succeeded and they haven’t.
Remembering Shakespeare’s “the fault… is not in our stars but in ourselves” might help.
David DiBello
Brooklyn
After viewing the celebration of the March on Washington, I felt nothing but disgust.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had an inspiring message that encouraged people to strive for equality; to be able to drink from fountains, to use public restrooms, to ride at the front of the bus and to be treated with the same respect that was due all God’s children.
But there was also another message King spoke that few want to recognize. On October 26, 1967, King spoke at Barrett Junior High School in Philadelphia.
He said: “If it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures; sweep streets like Beethoven composed music.”
King encouraged people to be the best they could be, even if their lot in life was a humble one.
He didn’t preach anger or hate, and he didn’t continually tell people they were victims. He talked to them about being responsible individuals. This is a far cry from what we hear from President Obama, Rep. Charlie Rangel and many of those who spoke at commemorations.
Marilyn Beasley
Joplin, Mo.
King’s dream could be realized by Obama.
Commemorations of the 1963 March on Washington fell short. Indeed, Obama could be the driving force in realizing King’s dream if he worked to solve problems in African-American communities.
He could’ve done so by condemning the violent gang and drug cultures, calling for family values and stability, personal responsibility, self-reliance, skills training and serious education reform.
Obama missed that opportunity in his address to the nation at the Lincoln Memorial. He could have stressed these issues to the African-American community and its leaders, and followed through with it for the remainder of his term.
As the first black president, that could have been Obama’s major legacy: finalizing what King accomplished.
Daniel B. Jeffs
Apple Valley, Calif.
Looking at America today, I strongly suggest those who consider themselves to be the elite black leadership — they owe it to our nation — take heed of King’s words.
Discontinue the mantra of hate and violence and begin to truly stand by the words and good purposes he gave to us half a century ago.
If those words have any meaning at all, it is more than about time we begin to live by them and turn our land into a place of caring and understanding, with a tolerance that, unfortunately, is so often professed by so many who have lost their way toward actual implementation.
I can only hope we will finally learn and make it so.
Jonathan West
San Diego