I'm off to Washington, D.C., again today.
Why? Today is the "soft opening" of the Martin Luther King, Jr., national memorial.
Of course there's controversy about it, but I think it's brilliant.
The photo at left shows an early artist concept but the finished image seems to be similar, except for the quote on this side which now reads:
OUT OF THE MOUNTAIN OF DESPAIR,
A STONE OF HOPE
A STONE OF HOPE
The quote is a line from his famous "I have a dream" speech which he delivered 48 years ago on Aug. 28, 1963 in Washington, D.C.
The other side is inscribed with these words:
I WAS A DRUM MAJOR FOR JUSTICE,
PEACE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS
PEACE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS
a statement by Dr. King himself when asked how he would like to be remembered.
The memorial is scheduled to officially open later this week on Aug. 28, 2011 with President Barack Obama.
I'm glad to see this being done, but I can't believe that it has taken this long, and that there is even any controversy about it. I wish his wife was still alive to see this.
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