On August 28, 2010, the nation will celebrate the 47th anniversary of the “I Have a Dream” speech delivered by Rev. Martin Luther King at the Lincoln Memorial. This year, however, the people gathering at the memorial steps won’t be there to commemorate this historic occasion. They will be there to co-opt it. Daring to believe that he can stand in Rev. King’s shoes, Glenn Beck will deliver an “I have a plan” address to thousands of teabaggers. Beck wants to transform the unity of the Dream into a nightmare of division.
This is the same Glenn Beck who recently described the U.S. under President Obama as “Planet of the Apes”. This is the same Glenn Beck who advised his listeners to leave their churches if they see the words “social justice” on their church websites. Anyone who could say these things doesn’t have a clue who Dr. King was or what he stood for. This historic day should be about honoring the Dream, not undermining it.
When we heard about Beck’s plans, members of the Other 98% were outraged. A June Facebook post to our 33,000 members met with our highest traffic levels to date. The overwhelming response: we have to do something. Reaching out through Facebook and to family and friends in DC and across the country, The Other 98% brought together artists and community leaders to create an alternative vision for that day: “Celebrate the Dream – Reject the Nightmare.”
We don’t intend to let Beck or any other demagogues belittle the Dream, which is alive in the hearts and deeds of millions of Americans. We are providing an alternative for those who refuse to listen to his lies. While Beck rants, we will celebrate – and defend – Dr. King’s legacy and vision with a striking art installation on the National Mall featuring the words and images of King.
Following an early morning dedication ceremony by faith leaders, Celebrate the Dream will unveil this People’s Memorial to Dr. Martin Luther King at 10am ET. This memorial depicts the words and images of Dr. King. Designed by renowned artist Michael Murphy, a specialist in public art, the structure will stand nearly four stories high and stretch to 70 feet wide. King’s greatest speeches will play throughout the day. Visitors will be able to participate in the sculpture, adding personal messages about what Dr. King’s dream means to them. People from around the nation will be able to share similar messages via the Internet.
Help us celebrate – and defend – Dr. King’s legacy with a tax-deductible donation now.
