If I Could Talk To Mlk

If I could talk to Dr. King

Dear Dr. King,

I don't think I have enough time to speak to you about the world today. I first learned about your civil rights efforts in elementary school. Every February we study prominent African Americans who have helped to pave the way for equality amongst all races. However, I believe your vision of peace between the nations has been blurred by the modern culture that my generation and the generation before mine created. I have tired to live my life according to your teachings', I think everyone tries to once we learn about you. But it's hard to maintain that lifestyle with all of the temptation in the world. However I am not using the temptation of the world as a crutch, most people just don't care about each other enough to respect one another.

I distinctly remember a legendary African American singer demanding respect in one of her famous songs. The fact that she had to demand respect from people always seemed a bit ridiculous to me, but in this day and age that song should be played over and over again to every young person living in the United States of America. The level of respect that children have toward their elders has always wavered, but in the past few years it has seemed non-existent. The only case in which it is okay to not respect someone is if they blatantly disrespect you, and that is not uncommon. However, it shouldn't occur between adult and child.

Dr. King one thing that has always bothered me is the use of the "Nigger". I know in your time it was a harsh belittling term used by anyone who did not care for African-Americans. I don't know why, but it has grown into a term of endearment; a word