We all enjoyed the recent three-day weekend. But now, we should examine society in light of the reason behind the holiday: Martin Luther King, Jr.

It seems like every day we are berated with stories of racial inequality – hate crimes, racial violence, and even protests against the reverse discrimination of the affirmative action programs now used by many employers and universities.

It is true that America is not the land of perfect justice and fairness that King dreamed of. But in memory of this great leader who was assassinated forty years ago this year, let us take stock of the state of equality in America and accomplishments of this nation.

At this moment, we are on the verge of having our first African-American presidential nominee, and we could potentially elect our first African-American president. About one year ago, we had the first African-American NFL coach to win the Super Bowl, Tony Dungy. A person’s race no longer has any power to hold him back.

The blatant racism that plagued King’s time is now a distant memory. Though many argue that racism is still alive, the fact that the few instances of racism are put in such a spotlight illuminates their rarity.

Legislation has evolved in the last several decades to provide legal protection to minorities against discrimination. But more importantly, the American mindset, too, has evolved. There is a widespread attitude of tolerance that has extended past color or race. There are few characteristics for which it is socially acceptable to be biased by; gender discrimination has been buried, sexual orientation is off-limits, and all religions are tolerated.

Our school is a living embodiment of King’s work. An outsider looking at any group of students will see at least five ethnicities, guaranteed. The mixing of races which was once so frowned upon has become the routine blend we see daily.