US Opinion and Commentary

“VOA will present the policies of the United States clearly and effectively, and will also present responsible discussion and opinion on these policies.” — VOA Charter

Showing Archived Posts

Still Reaching for MLK Jr.’s Dream

Posted January 18th, 2016 at 1:41 pm (UTC-5)
Comments are closed

Despite electing a black president – Barack Obama – not only once, but twice, racism in America persists. With a slew of smartphone videos showing policemen reaching for their guns during confrontations with African-Americans, who end up dead, it is undeniable that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s vision of equality remains unrealized. Has there been progress? Yes. There’s an African-American man in the Oval Office. There are laws in place. There is Jay Z, Cornel West, Toni Morrison and Oprah, just a few of countless prominent and celebrated black Americans who are thriving economically, who are influential and adored. There is also Freddie Gray, Trayvon Martin, Sandra Bland. There is the chilling Dash-Cam video of Laquan McDonald being shot 16 times by a Chicago cop, a video that was only released by authorities long after the event. In response, the “Black Lives Matter” movement sprung to life, controversial and criticized just as Dr. King was so many years ago.

For Shame, Chicago. Why Have You Not Fulfilled King’s Dream?

Posted January 18th, 2016 at 11:16 am (UTC-5)
Comments are closed

The police brutality, lack of opportunity and diminished hope that the civil rights leader talked about during the March on Washington have become ingrained in Chicago’s cultural landscape, creating a flawed legacy of divisiveness that threatens our future.