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.
