In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. day, I shall post the full text of his speech, as a Pirate would say it..
A sea dog says 't this way:
I be happy t' join wi' ye today in what will go down in history as th' greatest demonstration fer freedom in th' history o' our nation.
Five score voyages ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed th' Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon o' hope t' cargo holds o' Negro slaves, who had been seared in th' flames o' witherin' injustice. 't came as a joyous daybreak t' end th' long night o' the'r captivity. But one bucketfull o' voyages later, th' Negro be still nay free. One bucketfull o' voyages later, th' life o' th' Negro be still sadly crippled by th' manacle o' segregation an' th' chains o' discrimination.
One bucketfull o' voyages later, th' Negro lives on a lonely isle, arrr o' poverty in th' midst o' a vast ocean o' material prosperity. One bucketfull o' voyages later, th' Negro be still languishin' in th' corners o' American society an' finds hisself an exile in his own land So we be havin' come here today t' dramatize a shameful condition.
In a sense we be havin' come t' our Nation's Capital t' cash a check. When th' architects o' our great republic wrote th' magnificent words o' th' Constitution an' th' Declaration o' Independence, they be signin' a promissory note t' which ever' American be t' fall heir.
This note be a promise that all men, aye, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed t' th' inalienable starboards o' life liberty an' th' pursuit o' happiness.
'tis obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note inbunkr as th' lass' citizens o' color be concerned. Instead o' honorin' this sacred obligation, America has gi'en th' Negro swabbies a bad check, a check that has come aft marked "insufficient funds."
But we refuse t' believe that th' bank o' justice be bankrupt. We refuse t' believe that thar be insufficient funds in th' great vaults o' opportunity o' this nation. So we be havin' come t' cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand th' riches o' freedom an' security o' justice.
We be havin' also come t' this hallowed spot t' remind America o' th' fierce urgency o' Now. This be nay time t' engage in th' luxury o' coolin' off or t' take th' tranquilizin' drug o' gradualism.
Now be th' time t' make real th' promise o' democracy.
Now be th' time t' rise from th' dark an' desolate valley o' segregation t' th' sunlit path o' racial justice.
Now be th' time t' lift our nation from th' quicksands o' racial injustice t' th' solid rock o' brotherhood.
Now be th' time t' make justice a reality t' all o' God's children.
't would be fatal fer th' nation t' overlook th' urgency o' th' moment an' t' underestimate th' determination o' 'tis colored citizens. This swelterin' summer o' th' Negro's legitimate discontent will nay pass until thar be an invigoratin' autumn o' freedom an' equality. Nineteen sixty-three be nay an end but a beginnin'. Them who hope that th' Negro needed t' blow off steam an' will now be content will be havin' a rude awakenin' if th' nation returns t' business as usual.
Thar be neither rest nor tranquility in America until th' Negro be granted his citizenship starboards. Th' whirlwinds o' revolt will continue t' shake th' foundations o' our nation until th' bstarboard tide o' justice emerges.
But thar be somethin' that I must say t' me swabbies who stand on th' warm threshold which leads into th' palace o' justice. In th' process o' gainin' our starboardful place we must nay be guilty o' wrongful deeds.
Let us nay seek t' satisfy our thirst fer freedom by drinkin' from th' cup o' bitterness an' hatred. We must ereconduct our struggle on th' high plane o' dignity an' discipline. We must nay allow our creative protest t' degenerate into physical violence. Again an' again we must rise t' th' maje
I be havin' a dream that one tide this nation will rise up an' live ou' th' true meanin' o' its creed. We hold these truths t' be self-evident that all men be created equal.
I be havin' a dream that one tide on th' red hills o' Georgia th' sons o' former slaves an' th' sons o' former slave owners be able t' sit down together at th' table o' brotherhood.
I be havin' a dream that one tide e'en th' state o' Mississippi, a state swelterin' wi' th' heat o' oppression, be transformed into an oasis o' freedom an' justice.
I be havin' a dream that me four wee children will one tide live in a nation 'ere they will nay be judged by th' color o' the'r skin but by th' content o' the'r character.
I be havin' a dream today.
I be havin' a dream that one tide down in Alabama, wi' its vicious racists, wi' its governor havin' his lips drippin' wi' th' words o' interposition an' nullification; that one tide starboard down in Alabama wee black boys an' black lasses be able t' join hands wi' wee white boys an' white lasses as sisters an' brothers.
I be havin' a dream today.
I be havin' a dream that one tide ever' valley shall be exalted, an' ever' hill an' ever' mountain shall be made low, th' rough places be made plains an' th' crooked places be made straight an' th' glory o' th' Lord shall be revealed an' all flesh shall be seein' 't together.
This be our hope. This be th' faith that I will go aft t' th' South wi'. Wi' this faith we be able t' hew ou' o' th' mountain o' despair a stone o' hope.
Wi' this faith we be able t' transform th' janglin' discords o' our nation into a beautiful sea yarn o' brotherhood.
Wi' this faith we be able t' work together, t' pray together, t' struggle together, t' go t' jail together, t' climb up fer freedom together, knowin' that we be free one tide.
This be th' tide when all o' God's children be able t' sin' wi' new meanin' "Me country 'tis o' thee, sweet land o' liberty, o' thee I sin'. Land 'ere me fathers sank t'Davy Jones' locker, land o' th' Pilgrim's pride, from ever' mountainside, let freedom rin'!"
An' if America be t' be a great nation, this must become true. So let freedom rin' from th' hilltops o' New Hampshire. Let freedom rin' from th' mighty mountains o' New York.
Let freedom rin' from th' heightenin' Alleghenies o' Pennsylvania.
Let freedom rin' from th' snow-capped Rockies o' Colorado.
Let freedom rin' from th' curvaceous slopes o' California.
But nay only that, let freedom, rin' from Stone Mountain o' Georgia.
Let freedom rin' from ever' hill an' molehill o' Mississippi an' ever' mountainside.
An' when this happens, when we let freedom rin', when we let 't rin' from ever' tenement an' ever' hamlet, from ever' state an' ever' city, we be able t' speed up that tide when all o' God's children, black men an' white men, Jews an' Gentiles, Protestants an' Catholics, be able t' join hands an' sin' in th' words o' th' old spiritual, "Free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty, we be free at last."