Potomac Fever

Washington, DC is the center for American politics.  

Washington, DC is where change happens. 

Washington, DC is my passion.

Americans are lucky enough to live in a country where the capital is virtually completely open to it's people.  Cross through a few security checks and you are in the heart of American laws, heirlooms, and the foundations a nation stands upon.  I'm drawn to movies and books with DC as the setting.  Thinking about being in DC, working for my country (specifically in the law field), trying to make a difference ignites a spark inside my heart.  It is strange for a place to be a passion, but everything I want to do in my life stems from DC. Politics is my passion.  Change is my passion.  Law is my passion.  History is my passion.  DC combines all those into one wonderfully chaotic bunch.   I was looking for a really snazzy quote to put here about Washington, but as I look for quotes all I see is negativity.  People have lost faith in their government, so in turn Washington, but ironically, the people who can "fix" what they think is broken and the place they need to go is DC!  It's strange, I know, but the things that really get me excited in life are the same things that make other people want to pull out their hair.

"...the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation."

Martin Luther King Jr's 1963 "I Have a Dream Speech" is one of the most influential speaches by a historical figure in the United States, and his daring approach to tackle a hostile race issue would not only solidify Dr King as a leader in the American Civil Rights movement, but his speech a lone would have the largest impact on the fight for American Civil Rights.

The video and speech bought me back to a topic in my Political Science 390 class, which is crosslisted with African American Studies 390:  What is racism in the South never exsisted?  What if Dr. King didn't have to risk his life to defend basic human rights that were being denied to millions of Americans?  How would the world be different? 

Dr. King knew that he was about to make history.  He knew that his words would have power and his words would reach generations long after his Finis Origine Pendet, or The End Depends on the Beginning is true in testimant to Dr King's speech.  If Dr. King would have went up to the podium, in front of a crowd that large in the shadows of Abraham Lincoln and said "This might have an impact" or "Maybe we . . ." etc., then the speech wouldn't have been as poweful; his supporters would have seen him as weak just as much as his critics. 

As ELs, we each have our own dream that we want to be able to achieve or see this world achieve, and just as Dr. King, we have the ability follow through and stand with steadfast faith and not quiver with fear or let ourselves think our dream or action is not good enough.  How would Dr. King's speech have been if he stumbled through it, appeared nervous, or was lackluster in his delivery?  Words are poewrful, but so is delivery.

"Be brave.  Even if you're not.  No one knows the difference."