WHOSE DREAM IS IT?

"To me, the dream is to be able to attempt anything you want to attempt and to have the knowledge that only you stand in your way." -- Donna Komorech

The oft-quoted "dream" of civil rights leader the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. espoused such ideals as justice for all and racial harmony.

While strands of this dream are evident in the 1990s, some people believe the tightly woven cloak of racial harmony envisioned by King is far from being realized.

"I think his struggles here brought us a long way, but I don't think we are where we deserve to be as far as being equal," said DeAnna Duff of Howardsville.

Duff is one of many who think people have stopped believing in the ideals listed by King during the civil rights movement.

People are no longer dedicated to racial harmony, she said. The fact that few individuals, businesses and schools take time off to commemorate the federal holiday honoring King exemplifies this.

"Most people think it's just another day. It's not looked upon as being a special national holiday," Duff said. "It's like if you're not African-American it's really not understood as far as what his legacy really means."

Debra Mitchell-Braxton of Cape Girardeau also feels the holiday is under-appreciated. "This day is set aside for all Americans," she said. "It's set aside for an educational, historical legacy, and when we don't commemorate it we devalue it."

Cape Girardeau resident Donna Komorech, a sixth-grade teacher in Charleston, said her school district is one of only a handful that will be closed today.

However, she tries to teach her students of King's values throughout the school year, and especially during January.

"I tell them the dream won't come true unless you work at your education," she said. "To me, the dream is to be able to attempt anything you want to attempt and to have the knowledge that only you stand in your way."

Lakendra Robinson of Marianna, Ark., has always heard excerpts from King's "I Have a Dream" speech but only recently took the time to examine the entire speech.

She said Americans must be willing to alter their attitudes before King's dream can be achieved.

When asked what needed to be done to help make the dream a reality, Robinson's answer: prayer, was said only half-jokingly. She thinks the dream is attainable, but only if Americans are willing to put aside their differences and educate themselves about their similarities.

"People need to talk about diversity." It doesn't matter who's leading the discussion, she said.

Komorech's son, Chris, also said King's legacy is not unattainable. The main theme of King's dream is that people accept each other, he said. That is both the easiest and the hardest thing for a person to do.

"I think it means being able to see a human being as a human being and not as a role or a position. It's being able to accept them as they are," he said.

"That doesn't necessarily mean accepting all their actions, it's just accepting the fact that they're alive. That's all he wanted."

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. AND BLACK HISTORY MONTH EVENTS

Wednesday, Jan. 20"March for Tomorrow" 12:30 to 1:15 p.m.* Celebrates King's past marches and will be followed by a short programSaturday, Jan. 23Carver Day Celebration2 p.m.University Center Ballroom* Recognizes contributions of university staff and community residents in areas of science and community service Tuesday, Jan. 26"Conversations on community --a special session of embracing the University portrait"6: 30 to 8 p.m.Indian room of University Center* Includes presentation on principles of communityWednesday, Jan. 27Common Hour: Racial legacies and learning* Discussion includes possible solutions to question "How can higher education with its local communities, prepare students to address both the legacies of racism and the opportunity for racial recognition in the United States?"Jan. 28-Feb. 25Annual Read-A-Thon for Cape Girardeau elementary students* Encourages cultural diversity through readingMonday, Feb. 1Minority Student Programs Open House10 a.m. to 2 p.m.University Center, room 310Feb. 1-6Katherine Dunham Dance Residency* Dunham is a modern dance choreographer with African and Caribbean influencesWednesday, Feb. 3Common Hour: Percussion workshop at Parker Dance Studio beginning12:30 p.m.Master Class Dunham Technique at Parker Dance Studio6-7 p.m.Friday, Feb. 5Katherine Dunham Dance Company performance6 p.m.Academic AuditoriumFeb. 1-28Book saleNoon to 3 p.m.University Center lobby.Monday, Feb. 8African-American Read-In chain3 p.m.University Center Program Lounge* Read-around of African-American authors as part of national read-in chain Thursday, Feb. 11Knowledge Bowl7 p.m.University Center Lobby* Quiz bowl to test knowledge of black history and culture Sunday, Feb. 14Annual Michael Davis Lecture7 p.m.University Center Ballroom* Features Chuck Stone, founding president of the National Association of Black JournalistsWednesday, Feb. 17Common Hour12:30 p.m.University Center Program Lounge* Open discussion on impact of affirmative action on college admissionsMinority Career Exploration Dinner5-8 p.m.Dempster Atrium* Includes speaker and discussion of career pathsWednesday, Feb. 24Mwanamugimu Essay Awards ceremony 7 p.m.University Center Lobby* Contest between students researching different aspects of African culture and countriesCulture Night8-10 p.m.University Center Club* Displays of artistic talents, expressions.Feb. 26-27Black Movie Weekend* Includes viewing of black movies from past three decades