May the Dr. Martin Luther King Foundation permit me to state the Liberian dream. It’s a dream deep rooted in Liberian history. It’s a dream which has its beginning at the birth place of Dr. King’s dream. It’s a dream where the powerful slave masters, who shared love and affairs with their women slaves whom gave birth, had a dream for the future of their offspring.
It’s a dream that benefited every Negro who desired early freedom and the pursuit of happiness that was sure to be guaranteed. It is a dream that came back to where it all started, on the West Coast of Africa. It’s a dream that was meant for every sense and purpose, to guarantee the inalienable rights of the Negro to pursue happiness and dignity of life.
The Liberian dream adopted a constitution that was very similar to that of its masters, the United States of America. This constitution guarantees that ALL are free and created equal. The Liberian dream fell off its track due to the non-sophistication of the returning new masters to their homeland and the lack of proper nurturing from the United States due to the non-sophistication of the United States herself at the time. The Liberian dream slipped off the path when it incorporated exclusionary governance and economic policies that affected the majority of its citizens from its foundation up until now. The Liberian dream has succeeded to some extent, to introduce inclusive governance, after bloodied experiences.
The Liberian dream still lacks economic participation and inclusion of the vast majority of its citizens due to bad exclusionary economic policies that still hurt Liberians from every parts of our society. The Liberian dream fell off that path since its foundation and is once more on the brink of explosion for the worse, if nothing is done to reverse the situation. The Liberian dream never envisaged that the offspring of powerful white slave masters and their Negro counterparts will inherit a country alongside their native brethren that lies in immense poverty and filth.
The Liberian dream never envisaged the carnage and bloodshed that have engulfed this land of happiness and dignity as had been first envisaged at its foundation. Let me break the good news, that a new day has arrived and every Liberian stand the chance to benefit from the true aspirations and declaration of independence and the pursuit of happiness and dignity. A new day has arrived that will ensure that; like many developed industrial nations on earth, Liberians are more than prepared to pledge in unisom, a break from bad economic exclusionary policies.
A new day has arrived, where voices and informed votes will characterize the Liberian way of life. A new day has arrived, where differences of opinion on national development initiatives will be handled democratically in the supreme interest of Liberia and not self-interest and destruction of one another. A new day has arrived, where political actors will love one another, and respectfully disagree with one another in the pursuit of greater benefits to their constituents and not SELF. A new day has arrived, where the economic exploits, activities and dividends from different parts of the Nation, will set aside a significant percentage for those parts of the Country in need, for local development initiatives and growth.
A new day has arrived, where government will sell on a value basis ALL current luxury fleet in a transparent process with counterparts from the United States to oversee the process. A new day has arrived, where government will only procure fuel-efficient utility cars for its day to day operations and establish pools and vehicle scheduling at every agency of government for the conduct of government business.
A new day has arrived, where justice will be dispensed on the merit of the case and not on the economic, social and political status of the litigants. A new day has arrived, where doctors, nurses, health worker, educators and teachers will be well educated, trained, equipped following the best standards in Africa and paid commensurately at competitive levels. A new day has arrived where our military will be well educated, trained, equipped following the best standards in Africa and paid commensurately at competitive levels.
A new day has arrived, where our police, immigration and fire service Wo/men will be well educated, trained, equipped following the best standards in Africa and paid commensurately at competitive levels. A new day has arrived, where our public universities will be transformed to research and teaching standards comparable to those in the United States. A new day has arrived, where Liberia will boast some of the best teaching medical facilities in Africa.
I have a dream, which is the Liberian dream. I have a Liberian dream that Liberia will rise and shine above All nations in Africa. I have a Liberian dream that Liberia will prosper and become the beacon of hope in Africa. I have a dream that the Liberian Dollar will become a strong international currency, making life more affordable for many Liberians. I have a Liberian dream that in the next 10 to 15 years, Liberia will create thousands of decently-paid jobs that require little or no education. I have a Liberian dream that Liberia will feed itself and parts of Africa.
I have a Liberian dream that commercial farming will replace subsistence farming and farm-to-market roads will be built everywhere to transport farm products. I have a Liberian dream that tourism will boom on the Liberian shores of Cape Palmas and the South Eastern Region of Liberia. I have a Liberian dream that a University City will be built in Cape Palmas. I have a Liberian dream that a modern airport will be built in Rock Town in Maryland County and a golf course and state of the art resort will be built along the beautiful flat white sandy beaches in Fish town, Maryland County. I have a Liberian dream, that industrial value added activities will fill the hilltops of Putu range in Grand Gedeh County to the Nimba range in Nimba County, and unto the Wologizi range in Lofa County and the Western Clusters in Cape Mount, Bomi and Bopolu Counties. I have a Liberian dream that Liberia will one day be known as the home for steel products.
I have a Liberian dream that the nooks and corners of this Country will be filled with economic opportunities and lift millions of Liberians out of poverty. I have a Liberian dream, that descendants of white slave masters, African Americans and their Liberian/African counterparts will create many business and economic opportunities for the mutual benefits of a prosperous Nation. I have a Liberian dream, that natural God’s gifted resources of this nation will no longer be used as weapons against its citizens, but as Gifts from God and for the people of God. I have a dream that finished rubber products and palm oil products will be produced in Liberia and exported to the world. I have a Liberia dream that Buchanan will become a port city and the port of Buchanan will be the busiest port on the West Coast of Africa and serve as the epicenter for transshipment.
I have a Liberian dream that Liberia will be an idea where every peace-loving human being, no matter the color of their skin and creed can become citizen and pledge allegiance to protect and uphold the Nation. I have a Liberian dream that this Country will be made up of American Liberians, Asian Liberians, European Liberians, African Liberians, Arab Liberians and the list goes on. I have a Liberian dream that Liberia will go out and invite ALL its natural born citizens wherever they are to come home and help with the enormous developments envisaged under the new Liberia.
I have a Liberian dream that the corrupt Liberian practices as we know now will become extinct and endangered. I have a Liberian dream, that every true friend of Liberia will join forces to get Liberia out of the hands of bad and greedy investors. I have a Liberian dream that honesty, integrity, transparency and respect for the rule of law will be the cherished heart of the new Liberian society. I have a Liberian dream that modern affordable homes with running water and electricity will no longer be luxury items, and will be found all over the Country. I have a Liberian dream that while development is reaching all nooks and corners of Liberia, our traditional shrines and cultural heritage will be preserved for generations to see. I have a Liberian dream that love will fill the hearts of Liberians for one another and every Liberian will be his/her brother/sister keeper.
John Y. Brownell, [email protected]