Chinese see King's dream realised

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By Dylan Quinnell (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2008-11-07 17:24

I have a dream that one day 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.

- Martin Luther King Jr.

On Wednesday three words changed 2008 for me and the world: Obama Elected President.

As the three words came up on CNN, cheers and clapping erupted from the crowd of American expats, Chinese students and businesspeople, and the assembled media, gathered at the US Embassy election event in Beijing.

It was explained to me that the event was organised to give interested Chinese people a better understanding of how politics works in the United States. Embassy staff gave lectures for international politics students, and TV's displaying a variety of campaign ads. There was even a mock vote, where everyone got authentic Californian ballot papers and got to vote for their candidate – Obama won over 70% of that vote.

When I was interviewing some of the students, it was interesting to hear their opinions, some well thought out, others simply based on McCain's experience or Obama's looks.

I wonder what this meant to these curious Chinese people -- did they fully understand that what they were seeing was the democratic process in action?

Let me just mention that I am not advocating democracy; I don't believe it works in every situation. I am simply saying that Obama as President-elect is the result of a system in which anyone has a chance, something many wouldn't have believed before Wednesday.

You see, it suddenly hit me when Obama, Biden and all their family members were mingling on stage after Obama's victory speech. What we witnessed was not just historic and world changing but also fulfilled Martin Luther King's famous dream. There on the stage were two black girls hugging white girls and a black man hugging a white woman. They also just happened to be the new First families.

This is what is truly amazing about it. When King made his historic speech on August 28, 1963, there were still barriers to blacks voting, especially in the south. Now, less than 50 years later the same country has their first black president.

American hip-hop star Jay-Z said it brilliantly: "Rosa Parks sat so Martin Luther King could stand. Martin Luther King stood so Barack Obama could run. Barack Obama ran so we all can fly."

And, here in Beijing Chinese people were ticking off the same names on a ballot paper as they experienced the American voting system. It is this sort of hands-on knowledge that leads to greater inter-cultural understanding around the world, something that can only be positive as we become more globalized and connected.

Another of King's famous lines reads: “I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” That day might finally be here, and it is made even more special because the world was able to experience it together.