I am great fan of speeches. Actually, I become a child who finds fascination in each word and every move of body language or every word spoken eloquently and with as much courage, determination and hope as the words themselves are. I used to write speeches or drafts of speeches for my friends since I was too shy and nervous-kid but later on I found I just loved the kick and passion and the energy of the speaker and how that could arouse thousands of positive or negative emotions in you. How those words could storm people’s hearts and they could be led to whatever you want them to. Such IS the power of words and the respect for them has to be as immense as the larger than life status of theirs.
I have been dumbfounded at the Karachi Riots on 12 May. Enough has been said about who’s to be blamed and who’s not to. And yet many questions will linger on and the memories of those who participated in the riots will prevail for as long as the city lives. And no matter how much I want to write or say or speak of what and how I feel about this, I just can’t seem to make it. Words betray you sometimes perhaps.
But I have learnt two words at least or more appropriate would be to say that my conviction of these two words have been profoundly and emphatically strengthened.
Many years later, if the coming youth asked me who [tried to] destroy[ed] Kaarchi and Pakistan? I’d say, ‘Ego’.
And when they’d ask me what brought you to fight back and win your battle, I’d say, ‘Hope’.
Hellen Keller said that “The world is full of suffering. It is also full of overcoming it” How true.
But it’s the speech of Jesse Jackson that no matter how many times I listen to or read always brings myriad of emotions to me. And I thought to share one of the excerpts from his world-renowned and one of the most celebrated speeches of all times in this particular time.
From “Common Ground and Common Sense,” delivered by Reverend Jesse Jackson at the 1988 Democratic convention in Atlanta:
“Wherever you are tonight, I challenge you to hope and to dream. Don’t submerge your dreams. Even on drugs, dream of the day you’re drug-free. Even in the gutter, dream of the day that you’ll be up on your feet again. You must never stop dreaming. Face reality, yes. But don’t stop with the way things are; dream of things as they ought to be. Dream. Face pain, but love, hope, faith, and dreams will help you rise above the pain. . . ”
Also, with slight changes (apologies to Mr. Jackson)
You must not surrender. You may or may not get there, but just know that you’re qualified and you hold on and hold out. We must never surrender. Pakistan will get better and better. Keep hope alive. Keep hope alive. Keep hope alive. On tomorrow night and beyond, keep hope alive.
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