What is any life without the pursuit of a dream?

The following is an article I wrote that will appear in next week's Murphy Messenger, our local paper.

“Living the Dream”


January 21st was a day off for many. The country honored the man who fueled the "Civil Rights" movement, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

In 1896, Plessy vs. Ferguson had legitimized "separate but equal" as the way society could treat black Americans. There was nothing wrong sending black & white kids to different schools, or having black & white restaurants, or black & white water fountains. Sadly, there was also nothing wrong with black & white churches, as is still the thinking of many. (Incidentally, I have a dream that the ethnic co-mingling of worshippers will one day become the norm.)

In 1954, Brown vs. The Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas overturned the 1896 decision, at least officially. Men like Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were needed to begin the process of making the decision a reality.

Dr. King had a dream that the nation would rise up and live out the full meaning of its creed, that all men are created equal. He had a dream that people would be judged by the content of their character, instead of by the color of their skin.

His dream is gradually becoming a reality, but we’re not there yet, nor will we bet there without intentional effort. But we’re fortunate in Murphy, to have the opportunity to interact with different types of people, as we strive to live out his dream.

In fact, I would say our diversity is one of the greatest attributes of Murphy, Texas. Most probably moved here because of schools or price per square foot, but one of the things I appreciate most about Murphy is the multitude of ethnic groups represented. What a joy it was for me when my daughter’s best friends in kindergarten were an African American girl and a girl from Vietnam.

In Murphy we have the unique opportunity to enjoy neighbors of various backgrounds and ethnicities. I encourage you to honor the efforts and vision of Dr. King by developing relationships with your neighbors who differ from you, learning from each other in the process.