"I have a dream" wish?

[depechemodefan]

so I went to DC last week. I went up to the Lincoln Memorial and I see the plaque signifying where MLK jr made the "I have a dream" speech. Now there was about 3 people surrounding the placque and not leaving it. I finally got a pic of it but I had to take it around their feet.

The mom was telling the kid to stand on it and make a wish. They were Brits. I never heard of that, so I don't know if it's a Brit thing or something they never told us in History.

Just odd.

[Jester]

Different people have different beliefs, some culturally based, some ingrained in their religious or societal fabric, and some just personal.

While I am of Jewish descent, I do not follow their religion (never have), but there are some things I find rather pleasant and attractive about it. One tradition they have is that when they visit a grave, they leave something there to signify the visit. Usually it is nothing more than a small rock or pebble on base of the tombstone, but it can be anything, really. One time when I was visiting my father's grave, shortly after I had started doing magic professionally, I left a deck of cards on his grave. I think the Jewish elders would approve. I know my father would have. Not only would he have appreciated my comedy-based act, since I got my sense of humor from him, but he played cards--specifically bridge--a lot. So the cards had more than one significance.

I don't truly understand this particular tradition, but I like it. We don't always have to understand why people are doing what they are doing. If the Brits weren't hurting or offending anyone, I don't personally see a problem with what they did. I don't get it any more than you do, but if it was important to them, who am I to question it?

[depechemodefan]

If the Brits weren't hurting or offending anyone,

Well, they were just standing there. I waited and waited for them to leave. I finally just took a pic through their legs. But I was still close to them when the mom told the daughter to make a wish after I took my pic. Yeah, would be different if they did something harmful or started to rant about something racist.

I am curious why someone thought making a wish on that spot would result in an answered wish. Was this on tv? Did some famous person say, "I made a wish there and my wish came true"? You could just as well make a wish for peace in front of the Vietnam War memorial.

Just the first time I heard about the making a wish at MLK jr's "I have a dream" spot.

[Jester]

You could just as well make a wish for peace in front of the Vietnam War memorial.

Actually, that seems as appropriate a spot for that wish as any, and more appropriate than many others.