We ask ourselves what has changed? Have we improved in the way all of us -- white, black, yellow, red -- treat one another? Are we any closer to realizing the dream for America that Dr. King spoke of on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. on Aug. 28, 1963?
It's difficult to say.
Lately, it is nearly impossible to pose any social question without viewing the answer in the context of Sept. 11. That day was a great equalizer. No skin colors and no races were spared suffering.
Our most vivid memories of Sept.11 are of utter destruction. But there are other images to be taken from that tragic day, images dreamed of by Dr. King.
None of us can forget the faces of the terrified men and women running from the burning World Trade Center. Underneath layers of soot and ash were the faces of blacks and whites, men and women, Americans and visitors to this country.
Newspaper tributes to Sept. 11 victims and televised videos of American soldiers in the mountains of Afghanistan also reveal a kaleidoscope of countenances.
In New York, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania, the faces of the men and women helping with relief and rescue efforts have been equally mixed. Money has poured into Sept. 11 charities from the pockets of all Americans.
At rallies and fundraisers, religious services, small-town benefits and elementary-school assemblies, those who have come together to comfort one another have done so without concern for race. Black and white hands have joined together in sorrow. Voices from all races have united in prayer.
All of these images call to mind a passage from Dr. King's "I Have A Dream" speech, in which he envisions a time and place "where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers."
Today, we do so. We walk together as Americans.
The cowards who attacked our nation were not color-blind. At the same time, they were not bent on killing blacks or whites. They sought to destroy the red, white and blue. They failed.
In times of war, feuding adversaries often join forces against a common enemy. But what will happen when this war is over? No one is suggesting that America's racial problems have been cured by Sept. 11. Beneath this burst of patriotism, the underlying problems of racism remain.
Even amid the recent tragedies, questions of racism have arisen. Postal workers, many of whom are black, have cried racism after being told to go back to work shortly after mail centers tested positive for anthrax, while mostly white elected officials steered clear of their anthrax-tainted offices until safety was ensured.
In reaction to the terrorist attacks, our nation has embarked upon an aggressive policy of racial profiling, questioning and detaining many immigrants of Middle Eastern descent. Most Americans, regardless of race or color, are confused about how to react to this. Our hearts tell us that this practice is wrong, but many remain frightened.
In a speech Dr. King made in Memphis, Tenn., he spoke again about a time and place from his dreams.
"I just want to do God's will. And he's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the Promised Land. And I'm not fearing any man."
Dr. King was shot and killed the next day while leaving his motel room.
We must not fear our racial and ethnic differences. We must embrace them as the bulwark that gives our nation its strength. At the same time, we must recognize that questions of race and social justice continue to linger, even after Sept. 11. And we must ask ourselves, "Are we any closer to the Promised Land?"
