Today on "Kresta in the Afternoon" - January 21, 2013

Talking about the "things that matter most" on Jan. 21

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Special

4:00 – Kresta Comments: Martin Luther King, Jr. and “The Dream”

4:20 – The Dream: Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Speech that Inspired a Nation
King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech thrust King into the national spotlight, provided a barometer of the national conscience, and reflected on both our past transgressions and future moral objectives. Drew Hansen examines King's speech on numerous levels and in many contexts, revealing the confluence of forces that account for its unprecedented impact. He explores King's theological and intellectual focus and his roots in the tradition of black Baptist sermons. Hansen uses King's speech to examine the competing elements of an American society divided along North-South, black-white lines and to explore the contradictions of such interests along a moral continuum. King's speech provided a common code of moral respect, but not consensus of action, as diverse elements agreed to its greatness or purpose but not its call to act. Drew joins us.

4:40 – Catholic Social Teaching in the Thought of Martin Luther King Jr.
One Dream or Two? is a critical historical, constitutional, and philosophical examination of Martin Luther King Jr's understanding of justice—his "Dream"—from within the context of the American political tradition. Nathan Schlueter introduces King's "I Have a Dream Speech" and then isolates elements of his larger vision for social justice—paying special attention to issues of racial discrimination, political economy, civil disobedience, and the relationship between politics and religion—situating those elements within historical, rhetorical, and political context.

5:00 – Repeat 4:00 Hour