Martin Luther King Memorial in Yerba Buena Gardens Essay Example for Free

Martin Luther faggot Memorial in Yerba Buena Gardens EssaySituated on the corner of 4th St. and Mission St., in downtown San Francisco is Yerba Buena Gardens. Sounds from the hustle and bustle of cars driving and people move permeate Yerba Buena Gardens, except in one particular location. In one corner of the gardens stands a Martin Luther office jr. remembrance. The memorial is breathtakingly beautiful with a fifty foot high and twenty foot dewy-eyed waterf in all that falls over Sierra granite. In the Memorials hallway, visitors read quotes from Dr. King himself that be engraved on glass panels and set in granite. The physical beauty of the memorial is undeniable, however umteen people atomic number 18 non aware of the symbolism lying beneath the memorials surface. The memorials waterfall symbolizes the realization of Dr. Kings dreams the realization of Dr. Kings dream, the tears shed by millions and of the junctions of African AmericasThe memorial also reminds us o f the oppressed African Americans whose voices were drowned out ignored stock- fluid, it is apparent that parliamentary procedure was pushed rearward in the race to equivalence with the mandatory evacuation of thousands of people due to the development of the Yerba Buena Gardens. King Jr. dreamt that all human beings, regardless of skin color, will one day be able to recognise in a completely free, just, and non-discriminatory society. It was his dream of an equal society that pushed Martin Luther King Jr. to become an barrack for universal suffrage. Even though the United States already had universal suffrage, unfair literacy tests and poll taxes plagued the voting assist and disqualified nearly all barren AfricanAmericans from voting 1. King wanted a colorblind society a society where all human beings are treated equally and respectfully and given the kindred personal liberties and political freedom. Martin Luther King argued, in his I Have a Dream speech, that we are no t satisfied until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty current 2. This quote from Dr. Kings speech is inscribed on the right end wall of the memorial. later on reading the final inscribed quote, it is apparent that the purpose of the waterfall is to signify the realization of Martin Luther Kings dream of a just society. Justice , The United States Martin Luther Kings dream of justice in nowadayss society a monumental victory of justice over prejudice. It is so cushy to forget about what it took for America to become a truly free and nondiscriminatory nation. The mists are a indispensable admonisher for people in todays society that personal liberty and political freedom should never be taken for granted.Though Yerba Buena Gardens is situated in downtown San Francisco, a busy metropolis filled with loud noises, the memorial itself is peculiarly quiet and calm. The memorials serenity is due to the overpowering, yet surprisingly tranquil sound of the rushi ng water from the waterfall. The power of the waterfall to drown out all exterior noise is phenomenal. It is impossible to even hear what someone is saying when they are right next to you. Visitors try to overcome the sound of the rushing water by screaming or whistling, but are unsuccessful. Independent from lifes distractions, visitors are given the opportunity to absorb all that the memorial and Dr. Kings words moderate to offer. Visitors can take this time to self-reflect and to appreciate the efforts of earlier generations fighting for equality during our nations infancy. The undeniable strength of the waterfalls sound to obscure all extraneous noise makes Being incapable of expressing feelings or thoughts leaves an unfamiliar and dreadful sensation. People liveness in todays society are usually ignorant to this unfamiliar, almost claustrophobic feeling of screaming at the top of your lungs without a single person acknowledging your frustrations.During our nations history, h owever, nearly all African Americans struggled with this said(prenominal) frustration. Helpless against the white minority, blacks throughout history struggled to get their concerns addressed and their votes counted. The visitors inability to go across vocally is short-lived and fortunately, only lasts as long as it takes for the person to walk through the memorial. African Americans, however, were plagued with powerlessness for hundreds of years. Martin Luther King Jr. felt obliged to provide a voice for all African Americans stripped of the right to do so on their own. Due to the hard work of Martin Luther King, civil rights leadership and activists, and President Johnson, on August 6, 1965 the Voting Rights Act was signed into law, which banned the use of literacy tests and also necessitate stricter monitoring of the use of poll taxes in state and local elections 3. Finally, the time had come when African Americans could voice their opinions and have them be heard, and vote f or the political constituent whom carried similar beliefs and morals. The development of the Yerba Buena Gardens, as part of the urban Re tenderal Project was not endlessly considered to be something positive and beneficial.During the 1950s, city planners forced thousands of people living in the South of Market area out of their homes, arguing that the area was dangerous Skid class ripe for redevelopment, populated by bums and transients whose fate mattered little 4. City planners left out the important concomitant that many people who lived in this area were elderly and poor and had little defense against the federal bulldozer 5. The city did try and relocate as many people as possible, but only had 276 units of new housing to replace thousands of demolished units. Thousands were left homeless and kicked out of possibly the only home they have ever known and will ever know, due to lack of job skills needed to find employment. The banter of placing a Martin Luther King Jr. memo rial, a man who advocated for equality and justice until his assassination, on land where thousands of impoverished people were evicted just a couple years earlier, is almost too horrific to comprehend.The hypocrisy in the decision to place this memorial at the Yerba Buena Gardens is undeniable and unforgiveable. The memorials waterfall is a reminder of the relentless adversity that plagued millions of blacks for thousands of years and the tears they shed. The waterfall also symbolizes the realization of Dr. Kings dream. The constructive eviction methods used during the Urban Renewal period to obtain the land where the memorial sits were ethically questionable, however it is still important to visit this monument from time to time. The memorial stands there in the in-between of Yerba Buena Gardens, in the middle of downtown San Francisco, as a silent, yet constant reminder to never take anything for granted and to always remember the blood, sweat, and tears shed by millions in ord er for people today to enjoy and influence the complete personal liberty and political freedom that we are so fortunately blessed with.