We all know the story and the history. The importance of the day that grants us an extended weekend. We know what this man has done and what he fought for, but nearly 50 years after his death the results are far from easy to report. What Martin Luther King did forever changed the fate of a nation with a shamefully long history of prejudice and discrimination.

He built the ultimate bridges for people of all colors to live and interact together. A world of black and white given the gift of color, but it’s not all good news. If the happenings on a global, national, and local scale are any indication, the battle for equality and acceptance of all people regardless of the color of their skin still rages on, and those against these ideals are still persistent–though the faces and names have changed over the years. So it raises an interesting point: What if Martin Luther King was alive today? What if I had the chance to explain to him what things are like in 2016?

Dr.King,

First of all, I should start by saying thank you. On behalf of all of us in the United States now, thank you.

What you did for equality not only benefited oppressed groups but everyone as a whole. Life is not meant to be lived segregated, especially if we believe in unity. For a country with “united” in the name, it seems we often struggle with unifying people. Some of that struggle still exist today. Schools are no longer segregated, but they’ve become target practice sites for murderers. People are considering voting for a presidential candidate who is openly racist. Fear of certain people solely based on their appearance, particularly if they look like Muslims, is rampant. It has created a society where almost any topic leads to uncivilized debates, flame wars on the internet, cyberbullying, and other unfortunate forms of interaction.

My personal philosophy is to do what I think is right, but what is right for the best possible community and society. My outlook carries me forward, but some people may think that their voice is muted by the noise of a world in peril. What do you make of this? Is this how you envisioned the world would be at this point? How can we improve?

Given what I know about Martin Luther King, I would imagine his response would be something like this:

Ivan,

My dream did not die with me. If anything, it is more alive now than ever. Changing the world is not easy, and it is impossible for one person to completely change it into their ideal vision. Prejudice, hate, inequality, and the like are problems that will outlive any one person, as was the case for me.

Before I became a civil rights activist leader, my background was fairly typical. Whether you plan on starting a large movement or doing something on a smaller scale, it does not take a special person. That person can come from anywhere. It could be you, your friends, your family, or even someone you randomly encounter. Ultimately love, freedom, and goodness will win, no matter how much darkness seems to loom.

I am disappointed in the acts of discrimination, hate crimes, shootings, and other incidents that have been frequently occurring lately. I never saw the need for those kinds of actions. What do they hope to accomplish? They should ask themselves that. You may not be able to control others' decisions, but you can influence others by the decisions you make. Keep doing the right thing. When your heart is in the right place, that is the only thing you’ll want to do.

My best,

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

It is important for us to not just remember what Martin Luther King accomplished in the past, but to use it to improve the future. A lot has changed since the 1960s, but a few things remain the same.The most pressing being that we live in a world where hate spreads like wildfire, and it requires all of us to put it out. Though recent tragedies may cause you to lose hope, stay resilient because as things go wrong, we can make them right again.