I have a dream…that all schools get MLK Day off

by Mike Fauls

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed. We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal." These words were heard in Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963 by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and still echo today.

Dr. King spoke to the crowds filled with hope for every race and love for his country. Every one of us here has a dream, whether it’s to have our favorite job or travel the world. With enough time and effort put into the dreams we’ve carried since we were children, they are possible to achieve. Just look at our own country; it may have its flaws but we can honestly say that this is the place where dreams come true. Blacks and whites get along (for the most part) and there isn’t segregation that is forced by law. If someone wants to go to a certain school, they can. If it’s late at night and you want to stay at a hotel, you can’t be refused because of the color of your skin.

Martin Luther King has his own holiday for the way that he impacted the world. There’s evidence of what he did all over the place, and one needs to look no further than the White House. President-elect Barack Obama dreamed of becoming the President and now look where he is--having lunch with all of the other living Presidents, trying to get an idea for what to expect. Even if you didn’t want him to win, it’s still history that an African American man is now going to be the President of the United States.

Some students don’t care about all of this though; they want a day off just like everyone else. Being a student I can understand where they come from, but let it not be a day that we just sit around and play games. Let it be a day that we work towards achieving the goals that we set for ourselves, not only on a daily basis, but on a long-term scale as well. There should be a day off for all schools on Martin Luther King Jr. Day because of what he did. He changed America as a country and was one of the commanders in the war against racism. Some say, there will always be racism and differences. Yes, there still is racism, reader, but what are you going to do to stop it? Will you just sit back and hope it all gets sorted out, or will you stand tall and make a difference? There will always be differences as well. We almost always agree with what our friends and parents say, but the key word there is almost. Making dreams come true will never be easy but in the words of Martin Luther King Jr., “I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.”