Dr. Ben Carson is an exceptional man and leader. Here he asks the legitimate question: Have we lived up to the vision of Dr. King?

Carson: As we remembered the birth of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., this last Monday, it is worth reflecting on his message, and on whether we are moving in the direction of accomplishing the great vision he laid out for our nation.

Dr. King’s admirable efforts to ensure that we become and remain a nation where an individual is judged based on the content of his character, not the color of his skin, is well known by most Americans. Indeed, this message comes from the King of the Universe himself, who tells us in his Love Letter to us, that He “hath made of one blood all nations of men.” (Acts 17:26). This beautiful admonition puts to rest once and for all the idea that some races are inherently superiority to others, and even the very idea that we should be divided based on race at all.

So let us reflect on how we’re faring in achieving a society based on such principles so well-articulated by Dr. King. First, there’s no question that progress has been made in our journey as a nation toward a just and fair society. When I was a boy growing up in Detroit, the idea of a Black Cabinet secretary, neurosurgeon or rocket scientist, would have been totally unimaginable. But due to the guidance of our Creator and the fair mindedness of the American people in our commitment to constantly improving ourselves, such things are not only imaginable, but have actually happened. This is worth celebrating.

Yet, we’re starting to see troubling signs that our nation’s dedication to the principles of Dr. King, or at least the dedication of the elites and those who control our institutions, is beginning to wane.

Many of those in leadership positions no longer ascribe to the noble aspiration that all of us should be judged based on the content of our character. Instead, they’re increasingly embracing the notion that a person’s worth and future potential are determined by their race. If you’re White, that means you’re automatically guilty of racism and discrimination, totally independent of how you actually treat other human beings and love others. If you’re Black, that means you’re automatically doomed to a life bound in poverty and unable to achieve the American dream, due to alleged White privilege and systematic racism, independent of your actual work ethic, dedication and tenacity.

This ideology is manifest in diabolical schemes such as critical race theory, which seeks to redefine educational curriculums based on racial grievance ideology, including the false idea that all racial disparities are due to racism, rather than due to family structure, educational choices, and other factors that the evidence clearly shows impact outcomes. The 1619 Project is one of the biggest such examples…

Amid this chaos, I’m proud to promote the Little Patriots, an initiative created by the think tank I founded, American Cornerstone Institute. Little Patriots is designed to teach our precious K-5 school children about the American founding ideals and documents. It reaffirms the vision of America articulated by Dr. King, where Americans of all backgrounds are united around our founding documents, ideals and shared history.