We Shall Overcome

Today was MLK Day, as we all know.  At IC we have an annual MLK Day Concert, but this was my first time since I am in Chorus this year.  It was actually a very rewarding experience for many reasons.  We sang fairly easy, yet nonetheless moving pieces.  I was highly impressed by Ian Cruz and his amazing performance on sax tonight.  It was quite literally one of the best things I have ever heard produced by a student at this college to date.

At the end of the concert we all joined in singing "We Shall Overcome" which was also pretty awesome.  I got a little bit of goose-bumps, which is always a good sign.  At first, in the rehearsal this afternoon for the concert, I deemed this "sing-along" cheesy; after tonight's concert I truly saw how powerful the song is, how uplifting the words are, and how important equality and acceptance for all people is.  I guess that also sounds cheesy and scripted, but it's true! Guess you had to be there...

I guess it's only appropriate that this entry's quotation be by MLK.  This really is something I truly believe is a huge problem in America (and the world at large) right now that needs to be solved if all of MLK's dreams (or peace) are to be realised:

"A nation that continues year after year to spend more on defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom." - Dr. Martin King Luther, Jr.