Dr. Martin L. King Jr. Dream has become a nightmare!
Posted by George Rhynes on 1/17/2006 13:32:09

Dear Editor, Message Boards, Concerned Citizens, and Beyond! 9 January 2006

Kings Dream seems to have become a nightmare!

Since Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., was murdered in Memphis Tennessee nearly four decades ago. His dream, seem to have become a nightmare and though he was seen as a great prophet, civil rights leader, Nobel peace prize winner and ambassador for justice around the world.

Too many Americans are placating his accomplishments, memory, image, legacy, and easily digested speeches without personal commitment in their own communities. And have allowed a system of complexion protection and money collection to continue even in his home state of Georgia.

There is a street only six blocks long in Valdosta named in Dr. Martin L. King Jr., honor located in the Black community. It is an eternal flame and constant reminder of how King Dream has become a nightmare. Even though, Valdosta is fifty-two percent Black with eleven governmental department heads, and the county has twelve department heads. However, of the twenty-three department heads only two are Black as of 1 August 2005. So where is the dream?

In May 2005, fifteen local citizens were arrested while addressing their elected officials on a civil rights issue. But the local news media refuse to report the concerns of the meeting two the public. Many local schools are still segregated by race, rich, and poor. The number of Black teachers in our local school system for whatever reason is too few. It is sad, that out of nine city schools only one is named in honor of a Black African American.

Moreover, the disparity of Black professors at Valdosta State University for whatever reason is a disgrace to our community and the living wage for manual laborers need immediate attention. So what happened to the Dream? Too many elected officials and major civil rights organizations seem to have buried their head in the sand like the legend concerning the ostrich. As they ignore the problems remaining across our nation that Dr. King dedicated much of his life trying to resolve.

Lowndes County Jailed Inmates have petitioned their elected officials for over sixteen years to no avail concerning abuse, inhumane, unsanitary conditions, and the many deaths that have occurred for whatever reason in or surrounding the jail, and the alleged denial of their constitutional rights...

However, these American citizens have been ignored. Many of whom are American Veterans who served their country with honor, distinction, pride, and great personal sacrifice. So where are the people who plan, coordinate and attends Dr. Kings yearly Birthday party but absent when citizens are in need. We must, not be fooled by ceremonies, banquets, marches, Willie Lynch tricks, eloquent speeches, dedicating buildings, and throwing balloons up into the air and catching them in a silver spoon in Kings Honor.

King was not about things! But people stuck at the bottom in boats without hope. And he completely submerged himself in love---trying to transform an old world order into a new world order. That would inspire us to love, and respect our neighbors as we would want our neighbors to love and respect us and our own children. However, Kings Dream seems to have become a nightmare in stead of an organism that allows boats stuck at the bottom to rise from disgrace to amazing grace. So the needy and not the greedy can benefit from his dream.

We must remind ourselves that no amount of lip service on Dr. Kings Birthday or a two-day stop over or fly over is acceptable for such a great American and world icon.

Therefore, all humanity must wake-up from the nightmare and began to work for that which Dr. Martin L. King Jr., gave his life. Otherwise, we cannot claim to be participants in his dream and carrying on his legacy---under the banner of “I HAVE A DREAM.”

GEORGE RHYNES, President, Valdosta-Lowndes County NAACP,
*Note: If not published by editors because of the length. You can be 100% sure that it will be on the internet.