Student Highlights

My Dream for theWorld in 2011

By: Joshua Lee

                Dr.Martin Luther King had a dream and in 1963 that dream became realized bymillions of Americans. Dr. King is most famous for his “I Have a Dream” speech.Tragically he was assassinated in 1968 at the age of 39, but many people haveproven that his dream lives on. Even with the hard work of Dr, King and othersthere is still much work to be done. I am a thirteen year old boy and I have adream for the United States and the world in 2011. Many issues that I wouldlike to make a difference on include discrimination, poverty, violence andeducation.

                Discriminationwas one of the major issues that Dr. King fought to change. Even though it hasbecome much better it is still a present problem that should be changed. Manypeople are still being denied jobs, service, and many other things because oftheir race. The election of the first African American President was a major breakthrough,but many other nationalities still have not reached such a prestigiousposition. Discrimination does not just apply to race, but also to gender. Atsome point would like to see a female president or a president of a differentnationality.

                Povertyis still another problem inflicted on society that has not been solved. Manypeople have been affected by the recession and are not able to live the livesthat they once lead, but that race with the highest poverty level is AfricanAmericans. Many people are homeless and starving because they have no means ofsupporting themselves. Poverty was one of the many issues that. Dr. King foughtagainst and I feel that his work should be continued because Dr. King felt thatthis and many other issues were worth giving his life over. In my generation, Iwould like to see the poverty level greatly reduces and almost completelyeradicated especially among African Americans.

                Oneissue that I am strongly against is violence. I am concerned as well asdisappointed that my city is fifth in the nation for murders. Violence alsooccurs in the area of police abuse towards citizens which is bad because thesepeople misuse authority. Domestic abuse is another aspect of violence thatshould be stopped. Gangs often raise the violence rate because of illegalactivity and I feel that if many children are taken off the streets it willhelp this problem. Dr. King showed his disapproval of violence by startingpeace marches which helped his cause without escalating the violence.

                Thelast issue that I will touch on is education. Less than five percent of AfricanAmerican males go to college which is a statistic that I would like to change.There is a major problem with teens dropping out of school and I think thatthere should be a tighter hold on these students to keep them in school. Manyteachers are being laid off but yet there is money to spend frivolously. Ithink that the teachers should be kept so that the kids can be educated. Thisis only a part of the vision that I have for my country and the world in 2011.I am grateful for all that Dr. King has done and for the fact that his visionhas helped to shape my vision. I hope that I one day get the chance to be greatand to change the world just as Dr. King did.


 

Cedrick Quinn, Jr.

SLC

11-10-10

8th Grade

In 1963, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had a dream.He lived by that dream every moment of his entire life. He believed that everyhuman being should have the right to equal access and opportunities and hebelieved in justice for all God’s children, no matter what color, race, size orgender. Dr. King was a great and strong man. He influenced us on how to be abetter person. His influence in the struggle for justice began within theAfrican American community, but his impact extended in the lives of all people,especially our African American youngsters. Dr. King wanted to change the worldand so do I. As a young African American human being in 2011, I have a dreamfor our country and for the world. That dream is for peace, love and to stopracism.

I have a dream. My dream is for peace. With peace, there isno hate, violence, racism, or fighting commotion. In the good book of secondThessalonians, third chapter, sixteenth verse it says, “Now may the Lord ofpeace Himself grant you His peace. The peace of His kingdom at all times and inall ways under all circumstances and conditions, whatever comes. The Lord iswith you all.” I try to be as peaceful ad my Lord Jesus Christ himself becausewhen there is peace there is no commotion. There is only love. The reason why Idream of having peace at all times is because with peace you can love and nothate. As a Christian the Bible teaches me to be a peacemaker and that is what Iam going to be. Dr. King, Jesse Jackson, Saint John the Baptist, and of course,our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ were all great examples of peacemakers andinspire me to be a peacemaker.

I have a dream. I have a dream that one day everyone willlove everyone. There will be no more hating, war, or evilness going on. Love iseverywhere and in everybody. In the book of St. John, the third chapter andsixteenth verse it says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his onlybegotten Son so that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but haveeverlasting life.” By that being said, if God so loved the world we should dothe same. As a young African American Christian, I have decided to live my lifeby love, not hate. It is my decision to not kill or hurt anyone instinctually,verbally, mentally, or physically. Dr. King had great love for all people andso do I. I shall not hate anyone who has hatred for me or others. Michael Jacksonhad great love for everyone and everything. Listening to Michael Jackson’ssongs I believe that he was trying to show me that hate is not the answer, butlove is. To me I think Mike tried his best to keep peace in the world and makethe world a better place.

I have a dream. I have a dream that one day racism willstop. The great Dr. King died from racism. The Golden Rule is, “Do unto othersas you want to be treated.” I believe that we should live by that rule everydayand all day. If racism never existed in this world, this world would be a waybetter world than it is now. A lot of the shenanigans that are going on todaywould no be happening, especially killing.

On January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia a great man namedMartin Luther King, Jr. was born. He was assassinated on April 4, 1968 at theyoung age of thirty-nine from a bullet because of racism and jealously. As athirteen year old African American young man, my decision is to live and basemy life off of the Bible and to be more like Jesus. Jesus never killed anyone,hated anyone, and especially always had peace and love for everything andeverybody. As our seven continents unite together as a world, we all shouldbase and live our lives on the Christian lifestyle.