Speaking of Dreams in the Mist of Violence

Speaking of dreams in the mist of violence

By Catherine Soto

“And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.”

Rev. Martin Luther King

The people of the United States will never exhaust the myriad of admirable moral traits possessed by Rev. Martin Luther King character. A man enlightened by the wisdom of God through a profound faith that enables him to see the future as clearly as he was capable of being responsible for the present. However, his most significant legacy stem from his message about the importance of continue dreaming and voicing our concerns with respect. His resistance to violence was in fact admirable and inspiring.

Today, more than in any other time in human existence, we need to look closely at Rev. King’s example and feel proud to share the nationality with a man who lived an existence faithful to his values and accepting the consequences his beliefs would bring.

Fighting for civil rights will remain a necessity in our society as long as differences continue to set us increasingly apart, and new threats have lead some to believe that certain types of discriminatory behavior are justifiable in order to maintain our security. Let us note that under all circumstances we must stay focus on the noble principles that lead our nation under God.

My dreams as a military spouse are the dreams for our families and our country, and the objective of many women in the United States community. The dream that love will succeed violence and hatred still alive; and, the dream that in the name of that love, all individuals will be treated with dignity, be allowed to achieve personal goals, and provide resources to pursue educational and professional goals is actual and legitimate.  Rev. King said that love alone can lead changes, and being love the foundation of our dysfunctional society is appropriate to hope that will motivate the desperately needed adjustments.

There is a dream close to my heart that the military authorities will give up the culture based in resolving immediate issues and look at military spouses as a part of the Army Team, deserving of more investment than mere words. Public Officials must learn to appreciate military spouses’ strengths and social responsibility towards important issues, aspects that make us incomparable assets for military organizations. “Taking care of our own” is an Army motto, but the community is not honoring this motto when it uses continuity technicalities to avoid giving military spouses meaningful opportunities within the system.

I personally dream that the media will not forget that even though we have other national issues to address, the country still sending soldiers to war. Mothers, wives, husbands, and children still suffer the consequences of the deployment everyday, and they deserve to be acknowledged. The news should not be just about high sales and profitability; it should be about our very own, dying away while being forgotten.

Even 45 years after Rev. King’s original metaphor of the “promissory note” received by United States citizens guaranteeing the ability to pursue happiness according to the constitution, the image is fresh. The “promissory note” has not being honored.  I dream that the time when that note must be honored will come one day.

I continue dreaming, just as Rev. King did during that unforgettable speech the summer of 1963. I have a dream that all United States citizens will be given opportunities not based on pre-judgmental positions, but rather that they will be treated with respect on the bases of the “content of their character” and the magnitude of their sacrifices. We have the tools to succeed. We need only to pay attention to the details instead of looking solely at the results. Not by coincidence, we are the nest of the freedom in the world.

May we all have a dream and believe in it with such vigor that we can turn it into reality!