What would Martin say?

[B]By JOSEPH MARTIN[/B] [I]Special to the Saipan Tribune[/I] [I]Editor’s Note: Joseph Martin, at 10th Grade student at Marianas High School, was the winner in the “What Would Martin Say?” 2009 Essay and Elocution Contest (9th-12th Grade division) sponsored by the African American Cultural Preservation Committee on Saipan, as part of the 3rd annual commemoration of MLK Day here in the CNMI. During a ceremony on Monday, Jan. 19, at the American Memorial Park, he received a check for $100 from the AACPC (through support from the Northern Marianas Council for the Humanities’ National Endowment for the Humanities), plus a free Megazone pass courtesy of Megabyte, plus a free movie pass from Hollywood Theaters. (Additional prizes to contest winners and runners up in other divisions were donated by IT&E, formerly PTI). Here is Joseph’s winning essay for all to enjoy:[/I]

As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” And certainly, president-elect Barack Obama’s victory represents that “first step”—a step that will call for a change toward unity in the United States of America.

If Martin Luther King Jr. were still alive today, that “step” would bring forth a mixture of emotions. If given a chance, one could imagine this is what he would have said:

“I stand before you today, proud and joyful because of an event that will go down in history as one of the greatest and most significant. I hoped and waited for this day; a day many thought would never come. But for my people and me, this day had always been in our hearts for generations.

“Even through the darkest and hardest times, we held on to our dreams of freedom and unity. Through all the suffering and heartache, we hoped for this day.

“This will forever be an unforgettable day—the day I learned that Barack Obama, a brother dedicated to justice, peace, love and brotherhood was to become the 44th president of our wonderful nations. Through him, and with him, now is our time to make real the promise of democracy. Now is the time to remember the strength of America. Now is the time for our people—all people—to come forward and prevail. Now is the time for all of God’s people—black, white, Jew, Gentile, Protestant and Catholic—to hold hands in unity and brotherhood and once again believe that America is a place where all things are possible.
“Still, I am not unmindful that, even today, racial discrimination continues to exist. The war has not yet been won. The task has not yet been done. But, indeed, Barack Obama’s presidency represents a monumental leap forward. It is a leap that will soon clear the clouds of racial prejudice. In some not-too-distant tomorrow, the sun will shine again.

“My dreams still live….that my children and my grandchildren would 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; that 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.’

“Now, I see that dream has been kept alive by Barack Obama, and most especially by ALL Americans who went to the polls that day.

“Yes, I had a dream once, and with this victory, that dream is closer to fulfillment! I am confident that soon will be a time of great opportunities. Ahead will be a brighter future!

“Thank you, America! Thank you, President Obama! Thank God Almighty! Thank God Almighty!”