MLK'S DREAM, AS TOLD BY KIDS LANCASTER ESSAY WINNERS TAKE CIVIL-RIGHTS LEADER'S MESSAGE TO HEART.Byline: Daily News LANCASTER - Lancaster youngsters from Quartz Hill Elementary School elementary school: see school. , Desert Christian Middle School and Quartz Hill High School Quartz Hill High School is a public, co-educational high school located in Lancaster, California. Founded in 1964, it is the third oldest comprehensive high school in the Antelope Valley High School District (AVHSD). were winners in the city's Martin Luther King Jr. essay contest. Fourth-grader Amelia Gibbs, eighth-grader Katie Fries and 11th-grader Rebecca Lester each won in their respective category. Amelia will receive a trip to Disneyland, and the older girls won computers. The girls are scheduled to read their essays today at the city's 17th annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration, which will begin at 4 p.m. at the Lancaster Performing Arts Center A performing arts center, often abbreviated PAC, is a multi-use performance space that can be adapted for use by various types of the performing arts, including dance, music and theatre. , 750 W. Lancaster Blvd. The contest was open to all local students in grades three through 12. Students competed in three categories: third to fifth grades, sixth to eighth grades, and ninth to 12th grades. The theme was: ``Embracing our Neighbors.'' Each category had a different essay question pertaining per·tain intr.v. per·tained, per·tain·ing, per·tains 1. To have reference; relate: evidence that pertains to the accident. 2. to the theme. The city sponsors its annual King celebration in partnership with the Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley Building Industry Association, High Desert Medical Group, Lancaster Community Hospital This article or section needs sources or references that appear in reliable, third-party publications. Alone, primary sources and sources affiliated with the subject of this article are not sufficient for an accurate encyclopedia article. , Verizon, Waste Management, Southern California Edison Southern California Edison (or SCE Corp), the largest subsidiary of Edison International (NYSE: EIX), is the primary electricity supply company for much of Southern California. It provides 11 million people with electricity. , Lancaster West Rotary Club and Rite Aid Rite Aid (NYSE: RAD) is a United States retailer and pharmacy chain, operating over 5,000 stores in 31 states and the District of Columbia. Rite Aid Corporation is one of the nation's leading drugstore chains. . Here are the girls' essays: When Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said ``We must learn to live together as brothers, or perish TO PERISH. To come to an end; to cease to be; to die. 2. What has never existed cannot be said to have perished. 3. When two or more persons die by the same accident, as a shipwreck, no presumption arises that one perished before the together as fools,'' he meant that we must treat each other equally. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wanted us to treat each other with respect. Everyone should not judge people by the color of their skin. When he said ``or perish together as fools'' he meant if we fight more and more we will all perish. For example, if someone might fight a person because they don't like the way they believe. The more and more they fight more people will die. I hope that we can all live in peace. - Amelia Gibbs Martin Luther King had a dream that all of mankind would see themselves as equals and embrace each other with love. He said, ``I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality. I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love This article is about concept of unconditional love. For other uses, see Unconditional love (disambiguation). Unconditional love is a concept that means showing love towards someone regardless of his or her actions or beliefs. will have the final word.'' When Martin Luther King spoke these words, it was a time when African-Americans were persecuted because of their skin color. Although we have made progress, there is still so much more we need to do. We look back at how we used to be, and say to ourselves that we are so much more accepting than before. But are we really? Are we really a more loving and less prejudiced generation? When we turn on the news all we seem to hear is yet another murder, kidnapping kidnapping, in law, the taking away of a person by force, threat, or deceit, with intent to cause him to be detained against his will. Kidnapping may be done for ransom or for political or other purposes. , terrorist attack or killing. Is this the loving world that we are supposed to be? We can't change our world into a more loving and compassionate one overnight. The only way it can be done is if everyone does a little bit to help out. We start by getting to know our neighbor, understanding other cultures and opening our minds and our hearts to those who are different from us. Another big way to help change the world we live in today is to set good examples for others. Everyone, no matter how big or small make impacts on people, whether the impacts are good or bad. We have to decide what kind of impact we are going to make in our world. Just think of a world without hatred, war and abuses: the way things are supposed to be. Remember the dream of Martin Luther King and don't let it die. It is our responsibility to make that dream come true. Don't let down the generations to come. Do your part to help our world become a better place. - Katie Fries Nearly a half a century ago Martin Luther King Jr. spoke words that forever set a goal that man continues to strive for. ``I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become reality. I believe that the unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.'' Martin Luther King's words ring in the hearts of Americans who must overcome racism directed toward them by outside forces and also that bitterness that sulks sulk intr.v. sulked, sulk·ing, sulks To be sullenly aloof or withdrawn, as in silent resentment or protest. n. in the soul after terrorist attacks and a war in a nation across an ocean. Racism is still a very powerful force but it has lost its overwhelming strength. The shining star in this black night is that we are no longer governed by unreasoning racial hate as a nation. Even in our anger over 9/11, racial violence towards Muslims wasn't a widespread backlash of hate but only isolated incidents that disgusted the nation. Those who still act upon ingrained in·grained adj. 1. Firmly established; deep-seated: ingrained prejudice; the ingrained habits of a lifetime. 2. racism are now at war with the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. ; they are now terrorists when they used to be merely traditionalists. This war isn't a racial war but a righteous crusade against ingrained irrational racism. Racism is no longer tolerable in any form, when it once was the norm. This change in perception allows individuals to judge others by their character and make lasting bonds not because of but regardless of race. These bonds unite people and are fed by the love that grows between people that allow themselves to care for one another without being limited by race. Society has not allowed these bonds but has promoted them in today's youth and tomorrow's future. We are still in the midnight of Mr. King's dream but day is surely peaking through the horizon as individuals remove the self-inflicted blinders blind·er n. 1. blinders A pair of leather flaps attached to a horse's bridle to curtail side vision. Also called blinkers. 2. Something that serves to obscure clear perception and discernment. and embrace each other as brothers regardless of race. This midnight is still upon us because hatred still coils in our souls for those wrongly ingrained reasons that can only fade with time and tolerance but they have lessened as stars of hope have formed in the darkness. Only when brotherhood is achieved will peace be more than an idealist's dream and dawn will break. - Rebecca Lester |
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