A Legacy of Justice We Must Uphold THE PREAMBLE MEETS THE DREAM
When you enter my office, one of the first things you will see is a picture of the American flag with poignant and vital words. The red stripes contain some of the most well-known lines of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, and the white stripes contain the preamble to the Declaration of Independence. It’s a tapestry of ideals, combining two of our nation’s most powerful calls to action. This image inspires me daily, and these words continue to ask us to pause and reflect on their true meaning. Sometimes, we can grow numb to these words’ deeper meaning and context beyond the famous excerpts everyone knows. I encourage you to read both of these and consider how they are related. ‘I Have a Dream’ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” is a timeless anthem of hope, justice, and equality that calls for us not to judge anyone by their appearance, whether it’s race, gender, or disability. It resonates universally; we all hope to be judged on our abilities, character, and how we treat others. Its profoundly personal message speaks to the core of human dignity and a desire to be seen, heard, and included for who we truly are. It reminds us that inclusion and equality are not abstract ideas but values we should constantly aspire to in our country. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness.” — Declaration of Independence Do you know the whole speech? When you hear the words, do you feel inspired to take action or to think about what a person can do instead of what a person looks like? What does unity mean to you? “With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.” — Martin Luther King Jr. Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence is a document we all learned about in school, but its preamble is a powerful statement of the principles our country is based on, like life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Like “I Have a Dream,” it declares that all people are created equal and should have certain rights regardless of
appearance. The Preamble calls us to action, urging us to uphold the rights of individuals and ensure that our actions as a nation reflect these core values. When you read these words, what does “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” mean to you? How do these ideals apply to the way we treat each other today? “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.” — Declaration of Independence As you consider each of these powerful messages, I encourage you to explore how they are intertwined. Both call for a world where people are not judged by appearance but by their character, and both are a call to action for equality. You can discuss these powerful words with your family and loved ones. I hope that, as a country and as individuals, we will always feel inspired by these messages and continue to work toward a world where everyone’s rights are respected.
TO READ THE “I HAVE A DREAM” SPEECH, VISIT NPR.
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