Politics

The 2024 US Presidential Election: What Voters Should Know

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With the 2024 US presidential election quickly approaching, voters need to be informed and prepared to cast their ballots. This year’s election is of particular importance due to recent global events that have made the campaign season more consequential than initially anticipated. Here’s what voters should know:

Key Dates

  • November 5th: Election Day
  • Early voting: Check your state’s deadlines and requirements, as many states offer early voting options.

Protecting Your Vote

  • Register to vote: Verify your registration status and make sure you’re registered at your current address.
  • Know your voting options: Some states offer mail-in or absentee voting. Familiarize yourself with the available options in your state.
  • Get informed: Research the candidates and their platforms to make an informed decision.
  • Vote early or on Election Day: If voting in person, find your polling place and bring a photo ID. If voting by mail, send in your ballot well before the deadline.
  • Protect your vote from fraud: Understand the signs of voter fraud and report any suspicious activity.

Get Involved

  • Volunteer for a candidate or campaign: Actively participate in the election process.
  • Attend rallies or debates: Stay informed about the candidates and their positions.
  • Talk to friends and family about voting: Encourage others to exercise their right to vote.
  • Educate yourself about voter suppression: Be aware of tactics used to suppress voter turnout and fight against them.

Make Your Voice Heard

Your vote is your voice. It’s crucial to participate in every election, big or small, to ensure your voice is heard and your interests are represented. Stay informed about election results and get involved in post-election activities if necessary.

Remember, the 2024 US presidential election is shaping up to be a consequential one. By being informed, prepared, and actively participating in the process, voters can play a vital role in shaping the future of the nation.

US News: The Battleground States

The 2024 presidential election is shaping up to be a closely contested race, and the outcome will likely hinge on a handful of key battleground states. According to US News, these seven states are expected to play a pivotal role in determining the next president:

  • Arizona: A traditionally Republican state that has become increasingly competitive in recent years.
  • Georgia: Another traditionally Republican state that Democrats have made significant inroads in.
  • Michigan: A Rust Belt state that flipped from Republican to Democrat in 2020.
  • Nevada: A state with a growing Latino population that has become a key battleground.
  • North Carolina: A state that has been closely contested in recent elections.
  • Pennsylvania: A Rust Belt state that flipped from Democrat to Republican in 2016 and back to Democrat in 2020.
  • Wisconsin: Another Rust Belt state that flipped from Democrat to Republican in 2016 and back to Democrat in 2020.

These seven states are all expected to be closely contested in 2024, and the outcome of the election could very well depend on which candidate is able to win the majority of them.

2024 Election Voter Guide: Georgia

StateAffairs.com has published a comprehensive voter guide for the 2024 election in Georgia. This guide is a valuable resource for Georgia voters, providing information on candidates, key dates, and important issues.  The guide is accessible online and can be easily shared via email or social media.

Voters can use this guide to make informed decisions in the upcoming election. For those interested in Georgia politics, the guide offers insights into the current political landscape and the candidates vying for office.

Countdown to the 2024 Presidential Election

The 2024 United States presidential election is rapidly approaching, and the excitement is palpable. With the election date set for Tuesday, November 5, 2024, the countdown has officially begun.

This election promises to be a pivotal moment in American history, as voters will decide the future direction of the country. The candidates will present their visions for addressing critical issues such as the economy, healthcare, climate change, and social justice including the ongoing conflicts the US is heavily involved in, like the Russian-Ukraine war and the Israeli genocide of Palestinians in Gaza that has killed over 40,000 people and counting. 

As the countdown continues, it’s essential for voters to stay informed about the candidates, their policies, and the potential impact of their presidency. Engaging in discussions, attending rallies, and participating in debates can help voters make informed decisions on Election Day.

The 2024 presidential election is not just about selecting a leader based on our policy differences; it’s about shaping the future of the nation, protecting democracy and humanity. Every vote counts, and every citizen has a role to play in this democratic process.

So, mark your calendars, stay informed, and make your voice heard on November 5th!

What are some key issues that candidates in the 2024 presidential election are likely to focus on?

The following are key issues that candidates in the 2024 presidential election are likely to focus on:

  • The economy
  • Foreign Affairs/Endless Wars
  • Healthcare
  • Climate change
  • Social justice

What is the significance of the 2024 presidential election?

The 2024 presidential election is significant because it will determine the future direction of the country. Voters will decide who will lead the nation and how they will address critical issues such as the economy, healthcare, climate change, social justice and America’s role in foreign affairs, specifically the on-going genocide in Gaza, and other conflicts around the world. Stay informed and vote for the future we all deserve. 

Officials: Attempted Assassination of Donald Trump in Pennsylvania

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Former president Donald Trump and presumptive Republican nominee for the 2024 presidential election appears to have been shot at by a sniper during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. 

Video of the incident show Trump was graced by potential bullets, and was bloodied on his head close to his ear, and escorted defiantly off the stage by secret service agents.

Preliminary news reports say that the suspected shooter is deceased, including a rally attendee. There are also reports of two critically injured people.  

What to know, according to the Associated Press:

  • What happened: Trump was showing off a chart of border crossing numbers when a popping sound was heard, and the former president put his right hand up to his right ear. It’s still not clear yet whether Trump was struck by gunfire or was injured as he was pulled to the ground by agents.
  • What we know about the shooter: Two officials spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation. They said the shooter was not an attendee at the rally and was killed by U.S. Secret Service agents. Law enforcement recovered an AR-style rifle at the scene, an AP source says.
  • Biden’s response: In a televised address, the president said “everybody must condemn” the attack, he is relieved that Trump is reportedly “doing well”. His campaign said it’s pausing all messaging to supporters and is working to pull down all of its television ads as quickly as possible.

HERE’s the full early report from the AP.

Trump: 1st U.S. President Convicted on Criminal Charges

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The 45th U.S. president, Donald J. Trump, has become the first former president to be convicted on criminal charges.

The presumptive Republican 2024 presidential nominee was found guilty on all 34 counts by a jury in the unprecedented criminal prosecution of a former president.

Trump was accused of illegally trying to cover up a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels, with whom he had a sexual encounter with and that threatened to derail his 2016 campaign. The bombshell verdict ends a dramatic seven-week trial in Manhattan Supreme Court where jurors heard testimony from Daniels and Trump’s former protector and enabler, Michael Cohen.

Trump, 77, was found guilty of falsifying business records throughout 2017 by lying that he was paying his then-lawyer, Cohen, for legal services when he was actually reimbursing him for the hush money he paid Daniels about having sex with Trump inside a Lake Tahoe hotel room in 2006. Officials say, each of the counts the 45th president faces comes with a maximum penalty of four years imprisonment.

Could Trump go to prison?
Legal minds say it is highly unlikely. Nevertheless, Trump is facing 136 years behind bars if given consecutive sentences. Officials say it’s more likely that he would be given concurrent sentences for each of the 34 counts. In reality, Trump is facing four years behind bars. But, the judge could also not sentence him to time behind bars.

Trump Makes History as First Former President to be Criminally Indicted

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The first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president kicked-off with jury selection in NYC.

According to official reports, “Trump has been indicted on 91 charges across four separate criminal cases. However, some of those charges have since been dismissed, bringing the current total to 88. In the Georgia case accusing him of trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election in the Peach State, the former president faces 10 felony counts.” USA Today reports that the presumptive Republican presidential nominee “faces 34 felony counts that each carry a maximum sentence of four years, although New York law caps such sentences at 20 years.”

The first-ever criminal trial of Donald J. Trump, a former U.S. president, is a historic event in American history. The former president’s first trial was held in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia on Jan. 16, 2023. Trump was accused of incitement of insurrection in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the United States Capitol.

The prosecution presented evidence that the former president had made numerous public statements in the weeks leading up to the January 6 attack in which he falsely claimed that the 2020 presidential election had been stolen from him. The prosecution also presented evidence that the former president had summoned his supporters to Washington, D.C., on January 6 and told them to “fight like hell” to overturn the election results.

The defense argued that the former president’s statements were protected by the First Amendment and that he did not incite the violence that occurred on January 6. The defense also argued that the former president was not responsible for the actions of his supporters.

The trial lasted for two weeks and ended with the former president being acquitted on all charges. The acquittal was a controversial decision and was met with mixed reactions from the public. Some people believed that the former president should have been held accountable for his actions, while others believed that the First Amendment protected his right to free speech.

Donald Trump appeared inside Manhattan Criminal Court on Monday as the first criminal trial against him began with jury selection. No jurors were selected from the dozens screened.

It marked the first time a former president has gone to trial over criminal charges — which stem from six-figure hush-money payments the ex-president allegedly made to former porn star Stormy Daniels and Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal ahead of the 2016 election.

According to official reports, Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in an effort to cover up the payments to keep Daniels and McDougal quiet about alleged affairs the women say they had with him. The trial is expected to last about two months, and if convicted, Trump faces up to four years in prison.

Because it’s a criminal trial, the former commander-in-chief must show up at court every day that it’s in session.

 

Speaking to reporters inside Manhattan Criminal Court the former president said, “This is an assault on America. Nothing like this has ever happened before. There’s never been anything like it. Every legal scholar said this case is nonsense, it should never have been brought. It doesn’t deserve anything like this. There is no case and they’ve said it, people that don’t necessarily follow or like Donald Trump said this is an outrage that this case was brought. This is political persecution … it is an assault of America.”

Kevin McCarthy Voted Out as Speaker of the House: A New Chapter in American Politics

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On Tuesday, October 3, In a surprising turn of events, Kevin McCarthy, the Republican leader and Speaker of the House, was voted out of his position in a significant reshuffling of the political landscape. McCarthy’s tenure as Speaker has been marked by controversy and challenges, making this change a significant moment in American politics. This article delves into the circumstances surrounding McCarthy’s removal and its potential implications for the future of the United States Congress.

The Buildup to McCarthy’s Ouster

The ousting of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House did not happen overnight; it was the result of a culmination of factors. McCarthy has been a polarizing figure in American politics, often seen as a staunch defender of former President Donald Trump and his policies. While this alignment with the Republican base endeared him to some, it also drew criticism from those who saw him as being too closely aligned with the former president’s divisive and controversial actions.

Another major factor contributing to McCarthy’s removal was his leadership during critical moments in the House. The most significant of these was his handling of the January 6th Capitol riot. Many saw his reluctance to condemn the attack on the Capitol as a turning point, eroding confidence in his leadership abilities and diminishing his credibility in the eyes of some members of his own party. McCarthy has also been accused by members of his Party of being untrustworthy and taking part in backdoor deals with Democrats.

The Vote and Its Implications

The vote to remove Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House took place after a long and heated debate within the Republican caucus. In a close and historic vote, McCarthy was defeated by a majority of his fellow Republicans, a charge led by his arch nemesis and chief rival Matt Gaetz, of Florida. The details of the vote remain a subject of debate, with various reports indicating that some Republicans who had previously supported him had lost confidence in his leadership.

The implications of McCarthy’s removal are profound and far-reaching. The Speaker of the House is one of the most influential figures in American politics, wielding significant power and responsibility. McCarthy’s departure leaves a void at the top of the Republican leadership, setting the stage for a potentially dramatic shift in the party’s direction and priorities.

The Future of the Republican Party

With McCarthy’s ouster, the Republican Party faces a crossroads. Many are speculating about who will step into the leadership void and how they will steer the party moving forward. The party’s direction could shift, with potential implications for issues like immigration, healthcare, and tax policy. Since McCarthy’s ouster, both Jim Jordan and Steve Scalise have failed to fill the vacancy.

The relationship with former President Trump remains a central issue for the GOP. McCarthy’s close alignment with Trump and his ‘America First’ agenda had been a hallmark of his leadership. However, some Republicans may see this as an opportunity to redefine the party’s platform, possibly distancing themselves from the controversial elements associated with the Trump era.

Impact on Congressional Dynamics

The removal of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House could also have far-reaching effects on the functioning of Congress. The Speaker plays a crucial role in setting the legislative agenda, facilitating debates, and working with the Senate to pass legislation. McCarthy’s successor will need to navigate these challenges, which may require a different leadership style and approach.

Kevin McCarthy’s ousting as Speaker of the House marks a pivotal moment in American politics. The circumstances leading to his removal and the implications for the Republican Party and Congress at large are significant. As the political landscape continues to evolve, the nation will be watching to see how this change affects the balance of power, legislative priorities, and the overall direction of the Republican Party. Only time will tell how this historic event will shape the future of American politics.

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Pause Giant AI Experiments: An Open Letter

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We call on all AI labs to immediately pause for at least 6 months the training of AI systems more powerful than GPT-4.

PUBLISHED
March 22, 2023

AI systems with human-competitive intelligence can pose profound risks to society and humanity, as shown by extensive research[1] and acknowledged by top AI labs.[2] As stated in the widely-endorsed Asilomar AI Principles, Advanced AI could represent a profound change in the history of life on Earth, and should be planned for and managed with commensurate care and resources. Unfortunately, this level of planning and management is not happening, even though recent months have seen AI labs locked in an out-of-control race to develop and deploy ever more powerful digital minds that no one – not even their creators – can understand, predict, or reliably control.

Contemporary AI systems are now becoming human-competitive at general tasks,[3] and we must ask ourselves: Should we let machines flood our information channels with propaganda and untruth? Should we automate away all the jobs, including the fulfilling ones? Should we develop nonhuman minds that might eventually outnumber, outsmart, obsolete and replace us? Should we risk loss of control of our civilization? Such decisions must not be delegated to unelected tech leaders. Powerful AI systems should be developed only once we are confident that their effects will be positive and their risks will be manageable. This confidence must be well justified and increase with the magnitude of a system’s potential effects. OpenAI’s recent statement regarding artificial general intelligence, states that “At some point, it may be important to get independent review before starting to train future systems, and for the most advanced efforts to agree to limit the rate of growth of compute used for creating new models.” We agree. That point is now.

Therefore, we call on all AI labs to immediately pause for at least 6 months the training of AI systems more powerful than GPT-4. This pause should be public and verifiable, and include all key actors. If such a pause cannot be enacted quickly, governments should step in and institute a moratorium.

AI labs and independent experts should use this pause to jointly develop and implement a set of shared safety protocols for advanced AI design and development that are rigorously audited and overseen by independent outside experts. These protocols should ensure that systems adhering to them are safe beyond a reasonable doubt.[4] This does not mean a pause on AI development in general, merely a stepping back from the dangerous race to ever-larger unpredictable black-box models with emergent capabilities.

AI research and development should be refocused on making today’s powerful, state-of-the-art systems more accurate, safe, interpretable, transparent, robust, aligned, trustworthy, and loyal.

In parallel, AI developers must work with policymakers to dramatically accelerate development of robust AI governance systems. These should at a minimum include: new and capable regulatory authorities dedicated to AI; oversight and tracking of highly capable AI systems and large pools of computational capability; provenance and watermarking systems to help distinguish real from synthetic and to track model leaks; a robust auditing and certification ecosystem; liability for AI-caused harm; robust public funding for technical AI safety research; and well-resourced institutions for coping with the dramatic economic and political disruptions (especially to democracy) that AI will cause.

Humanity can enjoy a flourishing future with AI. Having succeeded in creating powerful AI systems, we can now enjoy an “AI summer” in which we reap the rewards, engineer these systems for the clear benefit of all, and give society a chance to adapt. Society has hit pause on other technologies with potentially catastrophic effects on society.[5]  We can do so here. Let’s enjoy a long AI summer, not rush unprepared into a fall.

We have prepared some FAQs in response to questions and discussion in the media and elsewhere. You can find them here.

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Biden’s SOTU Address Was A Strong Reintroduction & Bid For Second Term

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BY JEANETTE LENOIR

It started with a familiar kiss that turned dull halfway through his first term as 46th president of the United States. But by the end of his second State of The Union address, President Biden had delivered a powerful resounding message that touched on every bullet point most Americans would identity with and have in their social and political wish bucket. From promises of 12 million new jobs, American manufacturing, unions, healthcare, foreign policy, global competition, ongoing wars and veterans, to police reform and banning assault weapons, the president, hot like a fed-up dad threatening to turn the car around, delivered a focused agenda, and reminding us that, “America is possibilities.” At one point the pact chamber even unified in shouting, “USA! USA! USA!”

After two years of enduring insults and nonstop remarks about his stamina, and mental ability to lead a divided nation to unity and prosperity after Trump and Covid-19, President Biden delivered a one-two punch that silenced his critics, and raised his weary, even doubting supporters, to their feet. And charismatic as ever, with that crooked smile ready to deliver a corny joke, the president raised his voice instead and pointed his fingers at Americans, reminding us, “let’s not see each other as enemies” and that, “we must give hate and extremism in any form no safe harbor. He said, “democracy must not be a partisan issue. It’s an American issue.”

The president stepped up and into his symbolic role as head of a chaotic household to reign in order and extend a hand to “troublemaking” Republicans with a slight edge, for a chance at something different; a government unified on basic truths and the principles our nation stands upon.

Like a kiss on the lips between the FLOTUS and the First Second Gentleman, the speech was unexpected.

biden_sotu

The Watts Riot Reminds That History Is Cyclical

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BY JEANETTE LENOIR

The “long hot, summer” of 1965 was a year of violent uprisings across the United States due to strained race relations at the height of the civil rights movement. America was on fire. Black people were tired and took their frustrations to the streets during and following the arrest of a Black motorist in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles.

The history of police brutality tells harsh truths of how hate and racism disproportionately impacts the lives of Black people and other people of color. The Watts riot is just one example of a people exhausted from the unrelenting oppression at the hands of their government and the police force they empower to carry out their dominance. The Watts riot started August 11 and ended August 16, 1965. The arrest of Marquette Frye, his mother Rena and stepbrother Ronald sparked the violence that brought Los Angeles to its knees.

The Watts riot was not an isolated incident. 1964 and 1965 recorded similar events breaking out across the country prior to the Watts explosion. The History channel reports, “In 1964, there was a three-day riot in Rochester, NY, leaving four dead; in the New York City neighborhoods of Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvesant, a six-day riot involving as many as 4,000 people following the shooting of a young Black man; in Philadelphia, a three-day riot following the arrest of a Black couple who had gotten into a scuffle with police; and a three-day riot in Chicago when a Black woman attempting to shoplift alcohol was attacked by the store owner and crowds later gathered to protest.” 

Other events leading to the Watts riot include, the 1961 arrest of a Black man in Griffith Park for riding a merry-go-round without a ticket. That incident resulted in crowds throwing rocks and bottles at police. And in 1962 there was unrest following the police raid on a Nation of Islam mosque that killed an unarmed man.

Two years leading up to the Watts riot, 65 Black people were shot by police, 27 of them were shot in the back and 25 of them were unarmed. During this period in Los Angeles there were 250 demonstrations against living conditions and police brutality. It’s clear why 1965 was named the “long, hot summer.”

The Watts riot was among the worst uprisings in the U.S. due to already strained race relations. 35 people lost their lives during the 6-day rebellion, and more than 1,000 people were injured. Property damage topped $200 million. Although tempting, we cannot forget that the violence ignited by the brutal murder of George Floyd has been par for the course of Black lives in America. History is cyclical. As long as those in power refuse to recognize and adequately address the contributions of Black people in the making of America, their continued brutalization and mistreatment despite their rightful credit for the glory, status and wealth of our nation, or budge to the will of the people and humanity, these violent events will continue. Author, iconic orator and civil rights activist James Baldwin once asked, “How much time does America need for its progress?” Today, the question remains unanswered. My question is: How much more time does America need to progress towards a new world order that honors humanity, paves the way for equality, and finally usher in true liberty for all her people?

The Rating Game: The Unintended Consequences of the Conservative Revolution

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Editor’s Note: The views and opinions expressed in this essay are those of French Philosopher, Michel Feher and do not reflect the views and opinions of ePa. Feher is founding editor and publisher of Zone Books. 

 

BY MICHEL FEHER

 

Elected on the promise to make the “free world” vibrant again, Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan claimed a mandate to impose market discipline on everyone. The Iron Lady and her Great Communicator friend faulted their predecessors for responding to the restive 1960s with inordinate minimum wage and social benefits raises – thereby causing inflation to soar. They also blamed the CEOs of large corporations for balancing the wishes of shareholders with the demands of labor unions and consumers’ advocates – thereby causing profits to wane. Finally, they lamented that the propensity of politicians and employers to placate “special interests” groups enticed wage earners to rely more on wealth redistribution and collective bargaining than on their own hard work and initiative.

The architects of the “conservative revolution” argued that harnessing the power of the state to help markets do their job was not only good for business: more importantly, it was about encouraging the entire population to think and behave like self-reliant entrepreneurs. In their view, awakening the entrepreneurial spirit of every citizen required the creation of an environment where private companies, public administrations and individual consumers in need of resources would have to compete for private funding. To that end, they proceeded to lift the constraints that had hitherto limited the transnational circulation of capital, kept the various branches of the financial industry separate and checked the creativity of financial engineering.

Deregulations certainly enabled financial institutions to act as the arbiters of valuable endeavors. However, the order of priorities that resulted from the ascendency of finance turned out to be quite different than what its political facilitators had envisioned. For financial markets, as John Maynard Keynes warned, do not operate like other markets. More than coordinating transactions, pooling predictions is their specific function: thus the signals they produce are not prices representing the outcome of negotiations between buyers and sellers but ratings expressing the speculations of investors on the value of a project. Moreover, Keynes added, what investors speculate upon is not the eventual yield of an initiative but its immediate impact on the attention of their peers. Corporations were the first type of economic agents to internalize the guessing game of their potential backers. For almost four decades, CEOs have been less intent on maximizing commercial profits – conceived as the difference between sales revenues and production costs – than on bolstering their company’s financial credit – measured by the market value of its stock. Unrealized capital gain, rather than operating cash flow, is the metrics of success – which explains why firms use their resources to “buy back” their own shares.

The primacy of ratings is not confined to the private sector. Keen on improving the attractiveness of the companies based on their territory, 1980s governments catered to investors’ preferences for business-friendly tax codes and flexible labor markets. As the subsequent loss of fiscal revenues forced them to borrow the funds they could no longer collect, elected officials have become increasingly dependent on the value of their sovereign debt in the bond market. Maintaining the trust of bondholders is arguably the main concern of policy makers, over and above economic growth or the welfare of their fellow citizens. In time, the sway of shareholders and bondholders’ valuations has extended to households and individuals. Employers and political leaders who vie for investors’ attention can no longer provide lifelong careers and a sturdy safety net. It is now up to job applicants to make themselves valuable, either by advertising highly prized skills and an appealing address book or, failing that, by displaying unlimited availability and flexibility.

Furthermore, once faced with precarious jobs and receding social benefits, large swaths of the population have been forced to borrow, whether to access housing, study, or simply survive. Yet anyone hoping to obtain a loan must offer guarantees. In the absence of sizeable possessions, aspiring borrowers rely both on the estimated worth of what they want to acquire and the reputation for reliability that they have earned by repaying previous loans. There again, being deemed creditworthy is what enables people to navigate our brave new world. Altogether, the conduct fashioned by the speculations of investors scarcely fit the entrepreneurial type that the conservative revolution was supposed to mold. Pro-market reforms purported to create a world where capital owners, wage earners and even the unemployed would envision their lives as a profit-seeking business, calculating the cost and eventual benefit of every decision. In contrast, financialized capitalism breeds credit-seeking portfolio managers primarily attentive to the appraisal of the assets composing their material and human capital.

In the last fifteen years, the purchase of speculative ratings has spread beyond the economic sphere. Resorting to the same technologies as global finance, social media have also adopted its unique mode of valuation: online friends, followers and reviews attest to the advent of a culture predicated on the relentless pursuit of credit. Far from setting us free to pursue our self-interest, as the conservative revolution had pledged, the proliferation of platforms where people are invited to “share” their experiences, opinions, competences and needs compels us to catch and retain the interest of others – to generate bullish speculations about what we own, who we know and how we are. As ratings inform the various realms of our lives, creditworthiness gains political prominence as well. In China, the government already assigns an aggregate social credit score to its citizens – and denies them access to public utilities and programs when they rate poorly. In the US, Donald Trump has earned the undying support of his core voters by vowing to valorize some key components of their portfolio. Under his administration, being or standing by a nationalist, gun-carrying white male is, once again, a truly valuable asset.

Allocating credit is not the uncontested privilege of authoritarian and populist leaders, however. Some of the most vibrant exponents of the resistance to Trump’s agenda, from Black Lives Matter and #MeToo to the March for Our Lives, are equally focused on producing and circulating their own rating system. Their purpose is not only to discredit behaviors protected by institutional prerogatives, gender norms, and powerful lobbies but also to reappraise the lives that these behaviors depreciate. Though hardly indifferent to specific reforms regarding police practices, workplace environment and gun control, these budding movements understand that deciding who and what deserve credit has become the decisive stake of political struggles. For them, pervasive ratings are not a curse to reverse but a challenge to meet. Speculation is far too important to be left to professionals.

 

I Have A Dream…

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I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free; one hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination; one hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity; one hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself in exile in his own land.

So we’ve come here today to dramatize a shameful condition. In a sense we’ve come to our nation’s capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was the promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note in so far as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked “insufficient funds.” But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so we have come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy; now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice; now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood; now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children. It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro’s legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content, will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the worn threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protests to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy, which has engulfed the Negro community, must not lead us to a distrust of all white people. For many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.

There are those who are asking the devotees of Civil Rights, “When will you be satisfied?” We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality; we can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities; we cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro’s basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one; we can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating “For Whites Only”; we cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro in Mississippi cannot vote, and the Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No! no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until “justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations.  Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi. Go back to Alabama. Go back to South Carolina. Go back to Georgia. Go back to Louisiana. Go back to the slums and ghettos of our Northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.  Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I HAVE A DREAM TODAY!

I have a dream that one day down in Alabama — with its vicious racists, with its Governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification — one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I HAVE A DREAM TODAY!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low. The rough places will be plain and the crooked places will be made straight, “and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.”

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope.  With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brother-hood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.  And this will be the day. This will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with new meaning, “My country ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my father died, land of the pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring.” And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.

So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire; let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York; let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania; let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado; let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California. But not only that. Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia; let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee; let freedom ring from every hill and mole hill of Mississippi. “From every mountainside, let freedom ring.”

And when this happens, and when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: “Free at last. Free at last. Thank God Almighty, we are free at last.”

 

Source: Martin Luther King, Jr., I Have A Dream: Writings and Speeches that Changed the World, ed. James Melvin Washington (San Francisco: Harper, 1986), 102-106.