One man's dream...

On August 28, 1963, a great and inspiring American, Dr. Martin Luther King made his historic speech in Washington.

Here is an excerpt...

I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor's lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

And so it was, November 4, 2008, more than 45 years later, Dr. King's dream was realized. A tall, slim, earnest man, the son of an inter-racial marriage, Barack Obama, made history. He is the United States of America's 44th President; he is the first President of colour.

At the end of the day, many of us believe that he was the right man - at the right time. His colour? Not really a factor. It was his ideas; his energy; his charisma; his beliefs that overcame electoral adversity and made believers the world over. This man has an opportunity over the next four years, perhaps the next eight, to bring about major change to the USA specifically, but even to the world.

This will not be easy. It will be an uphill battle. There is much to overcome. America is in a recession. They are fighting a war that, like Vietnam before, they have no hope of "winning".

Yet today, the world seemed to wake up with a new feeling. It was hope. It was optimism.

Last night history was made. Today and this day forward, we all, each of us no matter where we are or what we do, have the ability to ensure that by working together, we can pull through and prevail.

We all deserve better. But it is not entitlement; it is earned.