An impossible dream?

For the past couple of weeks (well, essentially almost everyday) I've been thinking about this. Today is Martin Luther King Jr.'s, and all the hopes and dreams he had for equality and justice still are not reached. To me, it seems like the value of this date lessens each year. That the date only involves a quick history lesson in class, or we get to see the "Freedom Train" run on the news. It seems like we owe people like him a lot more because they did a lot more for us. When I say us, I don't just mean Black people, because his vision and that over many others extended well beyond that. And when I say that we we should do a lot more, I don't mean to decorate your house and have your own history lectures with your family and friends. It's not that easy.
I wonder if the day will ever arrive in which I will be only judged by the content of my character and not the color of my skin. When can I enjoy a day in which I don't get followed around a store? Or be welcome in a friends house (believe it or not, I still know folks whose parents don't like Black people and I have to pick them up somewhere else so they don't see me)? Or be able to say that I went to Cal and not have the follow up response be "Did you graduate?" or "How did you get in? Affirmative Action, right?" I wish I were exaggerating on these examples, but I am not. Not too long ago, someone tried to quiz me on my knowledge of Black history... nice huh? Asking me, What's a Jim Crow Law? Was he real? Does that still exist? But why did it happen? WHAT THE HELL!!!!
This is the stuff I am talking about. I am sure that regardless of your race, creed, or color, you have experienced something like this from one extent to the other. For me, I have to bear in mind that we still have not overcome -- regardless if folks still think so -- because I don't even see much of that promise land that Dr. King talked about. It's in sight, but we got a few more miles to go before we get there. I's important that we don't let their work not only go unrecognized, but to also continue where they weren't able to finish. Hopefully, someday we can wake up from that dream Dr. King had and see it as a reality... someday.