"Let Freedom Ring"

In looking at today from my office, I can't help but think of how important today is. It is truly a celebration of, not only a man's life, but of a message and a legacy. All around Greenville, people are celebrating that message and honoring that legacy.

I was recently in Washington DC for New Years. We did all of the typical touristy things. We visited the Smithsonian (Air & Space), we walked through the National Gallery. We toured the National Cathedral. We ate lunch at Ben's Chili Bowl. But, the most significant, breath taking moment was a simple one. We had lunch with friends, David and Sylvia Esch (David is Chair of our International Task Force) and then walked around DC taking in the beautiful (but cold day). Toward the evening, we stopped into the wonderful bar at the Willard Hotel for a warm drink and more conversation. Afterward, I walked around the lobby of the Dillard, looking at the beautiful architecture and feeling a bit of the history that was sewn into every step. It was then that I saw something that gave me goosebumps (stopped my breath really). I saw that Martin Luther King, Jr. had finished his "I Have A Dream" speech in that exact hotel. I didn't really know what to feel, but it was awesome. I thought about him finishing that speech and walking to the Lincoln Memorial on that day to make the most famous speech of all time. And, I was there. In the same structure where, on August 28th, 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. changed our national landscape in minutes.

So, if you have a chance today, take some time to listen to his speech. American Rhetoric lists it as the #1 speech of all time on their list of the Top 100 Speeches. Click the link and you can listen to it. It's very worth it.
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/top100speechesall.html