I have a dream

Almost exactly 50 years ago, on 28 August, 1963, 250,000 people participated in the March on Washington, a civil rights demonstration in Washington, D.C., in the USA.  At the demonstration, Martin Luther King Jr., gave his famous speech:

“I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, sons of former slaves and  the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character ...

I have a dream today.”

Martin Luther King Jr. is a great man.  In the intertwining 50 years, much progress in civil rights have been made, even though many problems remain.

Vast numbers of people from many other countries would love to be able to live in the USA.  Probably because of the freedom and the opportunities rather the wealth - one does not instantaneous become rich by immigrating. 

One simply have to note the huge number of people who are trying to immigrate to the USA, if one needs any evidence for that.  Most of the thousands of refugees and torture claimants stuck in Hong Kong want to immigrate to the USA.  When we crossed from Canada into USA last month, many would-be immigrants of all sorts waited at the immigration office to be processed.  We had to wait in line for more than two hours, so that our daughter - who was entering university in the USA - can get her passport stamped.

Despite what people say about the rise of China, the people trying to get out of China vastly outnumber those who are trying to get in.  People are still voting by their feet.  Actions speak louder than empty words of patriotism.