Today is the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., one of my favorite people in modern American history. I wish he were still here, filling not just the country but also the world with his uplifting, crucial messages about equality, peace, and hope. I'm thankful for what he did in helping to end racial segregation and bringing about fair treatment for blacks. Three of my best friends from college, Angela, Uche, and Michelle, are black, and I'm so very glad that the Civil Rights Movement made it possible for us to meet, be roommates, and become such good friends. I know that this great man is now somewhere much better than our world and that his reward in heaven must have been at least as great as he was. I'll always admire his courage and conviction and his peaceable ways. He was a true Christian and set such a good example for people everywhere of all races, religions, and cultures. I sometimes still get tears in my eyes when I see or hear his "I Have a Dream" speech.
