The dream lives: Today is the day to mark not only a hero, but the message he preached

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision was for a nation where race did not matter and where men and women treated each other with respect.

And today, as many across the county pause to remember the man, we should not forget that there is still work to do on the message.

Dr. King was about service -- and today is a day when we should pause to think about others -- and to marvel at how one man can lead so many to make a difference, even decades after his death.

We need more leaders in this country -- more people willing to say what needs to be said and to push us to be a better America.

And on a day like today, the focus should be not on speeches and politicians, but on the people who are working right now in their communities to make life better for their neighbors.

Dr. King also preached honor, responsibility and family. And those are other areas that still need our attention. They are the keys to making the culmination of Dr. King's dream a possibility for everyone.

Dr. King would be proud of the work we have done, but today, and every day, we should strive to do more.

Published in Editorials on January 17, 2011 10:55 AM