Aaron Patterson ENG 111 Page 181 Assignment October 28 2014 The Time I met Martin Luther King Jr. Meeting with one of the most influential figures of the 20th century was the most inspiring moment of my entire life.. He went by the name of Martin Luther King Jr. The first thing I noticed about this revered figure was his presence. I just didn’t get to meet him but I was also allowed to tell him current issues about the times. After telling Martin about the how I saw this world, he replied with what he thought the best way to approach and overcome these obstacles. At first it was surreal to meet someone of such importance, he carried himself in such a matter is was understandable to why he has such an impact. Dr. King’s presence was imposing. He wasn’t a very a tall man, but when he stepped into the room you could feel atmosphere change immediately. You could see he was very well dressed and kept his appearance neat and tidy. When he spoke, it was very reassuring but also demanded respect, like every word had the deepest meaning possible. Not only was his appearance impeccable and well kept, but he was extremely articulate and his manners were so proper that you felt as though you also had to change your behavior to match his. After getting past the initial shock of meeting this man, I wanted to bring him up to speed on the current status of the black community. As I sat across from this legend of a man, I began to express my many frustrations about the black community. My first complaint was about how the education and wealth of blacks was still better than it was in his day, but it hasn’t even began to close the large gaps that stood between the whites. I also mentioned that following the 60’s the black community had begun to rise from the poverty and the middle class had increased dramatically. During the 80’s it had begun to revert into state it had been before. Due to fear of reverse racism several policies had been put into place to lift blacks from poverty had been taken away leading to many losing homes and wealth. The situation for blacks in American has become better, but I also told him growing up as black in America that racism still exists. People are still being descriminated against based on closed minded ideas that have haunted our people for generations. As I spoke my grievances I saw flash of disappointment that was followed by a face of resolution and Dr. King began to tell me his thoughts about the current situation. Dr. King responded to me by offering his thoughts on the best approaches to tackle the crisis in the black community. He said that we need to emphasize the importance of the nuclear family by having both parents present in the child’s life. By having both parents present in the upbringing of a child, it leads to working as a team, resources are pooled together and it also increases chances of the child completing college. His next point was the blacks need to create networks and a sense of pride in the community. When this is done, people won’t want to fail their family and friends and will contacts that can help them if they are in a rut. Lastly, Dr. King said to shed the racism and be treated as equals that the community needs to truly assimilate into the current culture by shedding behaviors that are detrimental to progression and emphasize on the importance of getting a college education is. I sat back and mulled over these points in my head and began to see the truth in them. After meeting this man, my entire outlook had changed from despondency and frustration, to motivated and resolve. This man’s wisdom and advice has rang so true that it gave me strength to tackle the issues that have been on my mind for years. This man had been dead for decades but still teaches us lessons that will hold throughout decades. I am glad to have meet such a noble and resolute man.
Posted on: Thu, 27 Nov 2014 06:13:50 +0000
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