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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 even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today. Martin Luther King, probably the most famous activist in all of history, now tell me in all seriousness, how many people do you think there are out there that can’t stand up and say, “Martin Luther King, yes I know him,” not many I’ll tell you that. He is but only one man and look at his impact upon the world in the past and still continuing to this very day. What this man did has changed our world forever, he single-handedly took something that was corrupting our very planet, something that he felt passionate about, something that in his view had to change, he took it and he did something about it, he made a difference. The funny thing about this is, Martin Luther King is only one of many, many throughout history who have risen up against all odds and made a difference in one way or another, Ghandi, Joan of Arc, William Wallace, Nelson Mandela, Germaine Greer, Albert Einstein, Edmund Rice, the list goes on and on. ‘Schindler’s List’ is an example of one small man making a huge difference, risking everything to defy all odds and better his life and the life of others around him. Michael Jackson, a man of passion, a man of kindness, a man of giving, he uses his star status to help those less fortunate than him, he tries to make a difference in the world with his music and his support. Patch Adams, a man who knows not of the word selfish, he is a one man miracle, what he has done for so many is an inspiration to all. How do we make a difference? Now that is the question. To try or not to try? If we do try and do something, in all seriousness how much of a difference is it going to make? Well not a lot I used to think, but you have to go deeper than just the immediate surrounding results of what you do, you have to look at the big picture. Of course there’s the seldom occurrence of someone single-handedly changing the lives of many, like that done by Oscar Schindler. But for the everyday average Jo Blow, no one special, just people like you and me, how could we possibly make even a slight difference let alone change the world in any way shape or form.
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