Radio Commentary
Dr. Martin Luther King had a dream
that one day human beings would be judged not by the color of their skin but by
the content of their character.
That dream is not yet a reality.
But we can all help it come closer by giving our children the tools that will
help them grow up as tolerant adults who embrace and celebrate America's great
diversity.
One of those tools is the Birmingham Pledge,
an effort of the Birmingham community to recognize the dignity and worth of every
individual.
The pledge is a personal, daily
commitment to remove prejudice from our lives, and to treat all people with
respect.
The pledge states:
I believe that every person has
worth as an individual and is entitled to dignity and respect, regardless of
race or color.
I believe that every thought and
every act of racial prejudice is harmful; if it is my thought or act, then it
is harmful to me as well as to others.
Therefore, from this day forward I
will strive daily to eliminate racial prejudice from my thoughts and actions.
I will discourage racial prejudice
by others at every opportunity. I will treat all people with dignity and
respect; and I will strive daily to honor this pledge, knowing that the world
will be a better place because of my effort.
It’s a pledge we can all make.
