I watched as they finally dedicated the King Memorial in Washington D.C. and I had mixed emotions. It is an amazing feat to have a monument dedicated to an African American in Washington, but is the America he dreamed of the America that we live in today? How many people are still working towards the goals and mission of his life? What is the current state of race relations in America? Dr. King once said the following:

“There are three basic attitudes that one can take toward the question of progress in the area of race relations. And the first attitude that can be taken is that of extreme optimism. Now the extreme optimist would argue that we have come a long, long way in the area of race relations. He would point proudly to the marvelous strides that have been made in the area of civil rights over the last few decades. From this he would conclude that the problem is just about solved, and that we can sit comfortably by the wayside and wait on the coming of the inevitable.

The second attitude that one can take toward the question of progress in the area of race relations is that of extreme pessimism. The extreme pessimist would argue that we have made only minor strides in the area of race relations. He would argue that the rhythmic beat of the deep rumblings of discontent that we hear from the Southland today is indicative of the fact that we have created more problems than we have solved. He would say that we are retrogressing instead of progressing. He might even turn to the realms of an orthodox theology and argue that hovering over every man is the tragic taint of original sin and that at bottom human nature can not be changed. He might even turn to the realms of modern psychology and seek to show the determinative effects of habit structures and the inflexibility of certain attitudes that once become molded in one’s being. From all of this he would conclude that there can be no progress in the area of race relations.

Now you will notice that the extreme optimist and the extreme pessimist have at least one thing in common: they both agree that we must sit down and do nothing in the area of race relations. The extreme optimist says do nothing because integration is inevitable. The extreme pessimist says do nothing because integration is impossible. But there is a third position that is another attitude that can be taken, and it is what I would like to call the realistic position. The realist in the area of race relations seeks to reconcile the truths of two opposites while avoiding the extremes of both. So the realist would agree with the optimist that we have come a long, long way. But, he would go on to balance that by agreeing with the pessimist that we have a long, long way to go. And it is this basic theme that I would like to set forth this evening. We have come a long, long way but we have a long, long way to go.”

I have to wonder if the state of race relations in America has created more optimistic people or more pessimistic people. I have to wonder if the state of race relations is America is very different from the America that Dr. King spoke of in this speech. American race relations has not changed dramatically since the 1960s in my opinion. The plight of African Americans has increased, but the state of race relations is actually not very different from the 60s.

The perspective of unity that Dr. King spoke of consisted of races harmoniously interacting in every aspect of American society. Unfortunately, in today’s society there are pockets of harmonious race relations in some suburban neighborhoods, but overall America is still very segregated. If you visit any major city in this country, you will always find the “white,” “black,” hispanic,” “asian,” “middle eastern” and “jewish” community. In these repetitive communities, individuals still tend to socialize with “their own.” Sunday mornings are the most segregated days in this country. High schools, pre-schools, and private schools are still very segregated. Business owners of different races rarely do business with each other. People of color in America are still not given equal opportunities for contracts. Predominately white Colleges and Universities still do not have viable programs in place to attract and retain students of color.

What is the current state of race relations in America? We can drink from any fountain and walk into any clothing store. We can live in “diverse” neighborhoods and work in the same offices. We have the opportunity to vote equally and travel throughout the country, but America has an even bigger race problem now than ever before. “Hidden” racism is the worst kind. Many people of all races are unwilling to work with others. The perception of progress is often worse than the reality of struggle. Racial profiling is still a dominant problem in major American cities. Afirmative action programs are still needed and there have been few strides in the areas of elected people of color in Congress. Are we the America that King envisioned?

I take the third view that Dr. King suggested…”we have come a long way, but we still have a long way to go.” American has painted the picture of social equality, but still fails to exude the harmony of integration. We are a “melting pot” where the ingredients still have not mixed creating a meal that is not ready to serve. Are we living in the America that Dr. King envisioned? Can a memorial change a nation?