Martin Luther King's dream

On this celebration of Martin Luther King’s birthday, President Barack Obama embodies for many the fulfillment of King’s great dream for America. As the nation’s first president who’s African-American, Obama is visual proof of the “one day” King hoped for where a person is not “judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

Indeed, a new nationwide Pew Research Center poll shows Obama’s election has boosted the optimism of African- Americans about their prospects for the future and given them a more favorable view of black economic and social progress. And both blacks and whites say race relations have improved as a result of Obama’s election.

Clearly, the struggle isn’t over. Hatred and prejudice still hamper progress. Too many Americans, of all ethnicity’s and races, lack access to the education, training and jobs they need to succeed in life. Too many languish in poverty and, yes, without basic health insurance.

Today, many of us will remember and honor King by doing service works in our community. That is admirable and needed. But today is a good day to pledge to finish the job King and so many others worked hard on.

This nation can live out its creed of equality for all. But it will take each of us doing our part to achieve the goal.

— Charlotte (N.C.) Observer