Everglades CI
1599 SW 187 Ave
Miami, Fl 33194
#M05398

I wanted to share a draft for one of my Black History Month Speeches :-)

The Power of Ideas

There's nothing in the world as powerful, as an idea whose time has come.

You can't put a noose around the neck of an idea, stand it in front of a firing squad, or give it a lethal injection. You can't "stop and frisk" an idea, nor ticket it for failure to yield. An idea will not "stay in its own lane."

It may seem like a mystery,
When in fact, it's crystal clear-
Just take a look at history,
Man, a bomb can't stop an idea!

However, once conceived, an idea has to be delivered, and it's with words that we give them birth. Our labors, as writers can then bring forth the spoken word.

Words can either help or hurt
They can motivate or inspire.-
Words can help to heal a nation,
Or set the world on fire.

The same way it doesn't take all day to recognize sunshine, it's pretty easy to see that, once again, we stand on the brink as a nation. The divisions that gave rise to Doctor King's Dream are, once again, spreading like a destructive virus. We stand in need of new words to lay the foundation upon which those new ideas may rise. We don't need walls to divide us we need to build a platform for the exchange of ideas, and a bridge for communication if we are ever to become One Nation, Under God, rather than a House Divided which cannot stand.

These too are times that try men's souls, but we can look back for inspiration, pray for guidance, and then come up with ideas to help us overcome some of the challenges that we see each day on the Evening News.

We need new ideas to fire up our imagination,
we need the hopes and dreams of a new generation..
Dr. King had a Dream, but now it's time for us to awaken.

Doctor King found the words to express his ideas as a Dream... he expressed them in such a way that they became our own. His words seemed to make time stand still, and then part the veil that divided us... His words soared, and lifted us above all the hate, anger and division.

He found words that touched the hearts of men words that motivated and inspired. He shared his Dream in such a way that we were lifted up to see beyond the hate and jangling discord... We were lifted up to catch a glimpse of a world that could exist beyond the Valley of Despair that seemed to grip the Nation. He found words that opened our minds to the possibilities, and showed us a way that we could make his Dream a reality.

Today, Martin the man is gone, and we celebrate his memory...
Martin the man is gone, but his Dream survives and his words still inspire.
Unfortunately, as much as his words may still inspire, far too often they've failed to transform.

You see,
There's a gap that exists between his Dreams and today's reality.
It's a gap as wide as the side of a cruise ship that sails off to some exotic port, while leaving a poor man on the dock to wonder if he has enough change to catch a bus back to the shelter. It's a gap as wide as the one that exists between the minimum wages paid, and the amount needed to pay the light bill, or avoid the eviction notice.

Between Martin's Dream and our reality, there's a gap as wide as a canyon, and it's been filled with words that tap into the anger, fans the flames, and stokes the fears that have so often divided us. It's gap that's been filled with excuses for failure by some, and reasons to hate by others.

Between the Dream and the reality there remain problems that may seem insurmountable, and threaten to overwhelm us with their complexity. But even complex problems have solutions, and the greatness of America has always been on display when we resolved to Stand United and face our challenges as One Nation Under God.

However, today, there is a gap as wide as the aisle that separates political parties, and people, into red states and blue states. There are divisions so deep that they can paralyze the nation with their "us verses them" rhetoric. A river fills that gap a river that threatens to carry away our hopes and dreams, and leave behind a bitter aftertaste... faded memories of what could have been.

Far too many if us may remember the words that expressed his Dream,
but have forgotten that it was supposed to be a blueprint for progress, and a roadmap for change. Dr. King had a Dream, but now it's time for us to awaken.

During a dark night of our nation's soul, his Dream shed light on the possibilities. What could be what not be easy to achieve, but what was could not continue.

This is not the time for us to retreat, we can't go back to those dark days. It's time we took a giant leap forward. It's time we took a leap of faith into the light that Dr. King's Dream ignited. These too are times that try men's soul... but I've heard it said, and I ask you now, what's more foolish? The child afraid oif the dark, or the man afraid of the light?

The night's far spent, and the time is at hand for us to let new ideas flow forth. It's time to let hope find a new voice... it's time for new words... new ideas... not just to remind us of the dream, but to transform today's jangling discords of protest into a beautiful symphony of harmony. It's time for us to learn how we can work together, to pray together, to struggle together... That was his hope that was his dream.

Today, Martin the man is gone, but as we celebrate his memory,
let his words not only inspire, but transform. Dr. King had a Dream, but now it's time for us to awaken.

And that's the IDEA I want to leave with you today...
Righteousness can still roll down like can mighty stream,
once we wake up, and remember the dream.

********

Gary

Hello Gary, :D

Stay strong in the Lord. And in the power of HIS might!

Ephesians 6:10-20

Dad