Barack Obama’s election has everyone talking about Martin Luther King’s "I have a dream" speech. It was 45 years ago when King dreamed of his children being "judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." That is the sort of justice that we all want for our own children.

But, before he reached the end of that speech, it was clear that he wanted justice for "...all of God’s children." That is a different thing than simply wanting his own children to be treated justly.

Despite the improvement in race relations evidenced by the recent election, I wonder if we have made as much progress as some think?

Electing a black president after a white one has run the country into moral and financial bankruptcy is hardly a ringing endorsement. What of the talented men and women of color who still suffer from discrimination? Or white men and women who suffer from reverse discrimination? Are we ready to start judging people by their character in the work place? Or in education?

Or beyond race, are we ready to accept Muslims in the work place? What about homosexuals? Or any other group that can be defined and hated by the left, right or center? When did they stop being part of "all of God’s children?"

They didn’t; our hate excludes them, in our view. We are responsible for that view and it is one that only we can change. We can decide to judge others by the content of their character. Everyday we do it frees us and others from the bonds of hate and bigotry.

Everyday we do that hastens the day that King dreamed of when we can all say: "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"