Rev. Al Sharpton has announced that he will lead a “Watch Night” tomorrow in Atlanta to view the election returns at Ebenezer Baptist Church in the pulpit where Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once historically preached. The night will begin at 7:30 where the Watch Night participants will post at the grave of Dr. King to hold a candlelight vigil. At 8PM they will move inside to Ebenezer to view the returns.

“As we await the outcome of the most important election of our lifetimes, and whatever the outcome will be, it will be the realization of part of the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King,” said Rev. Sharpton. “There is no more appropriate place to be than in his church across the street from his crypt to receive the returns. It is not just a political moment it is a sacred and historical moment and we should be on the grounds to thank the dreamer as we see part of the dream become a reality and be in a position to make the other parts of the dream closer to fruition.”

Now while I applaud Rev. Sharpton’s efforts to realize the enormity of the event I do have a few questions and or concerns. For those of you church goers you might be familiar with the “Watch Night” service traditionally held on New Years eve as a way to end and begin the Year in the house of God. Its origins date as far back as the end of slavery where soon-to-be freed slaves held vigil to watch for Midnight on New Year’s Eve when the Emancipation Proclamation stated they were free.

My concern is that Rev. Sharpton is limiting this accomplishment to that of an African American accomplishment. I hold strong that if Barack Obama should become our next president is in part the realization of Dr. King’s “Dream.” However Shapton’s ceremonial vigil is short sided. This is not just a black accomplishment. It has tremendous American Historical value. Not only will young black children aspire to greater heights but young girls, homosexuals, immigrants, the physically impaired will too. Obama’s campaign isn’t a reality because he’s black but because he’s black and that’s not the most important thing about him. His message is true, he has given the American people something that’s been missing for the last 8 years…Hope!

So while its good to pay ode to the past I think its important as we celebrate in victory or defeat to look toward the future and what is possible. Yes this is a step in acheiving The Dream but there is so much work yet tod be done. Standing around a grave site and singing the old negro spiritial is cool and all but its not doing much in the way of change.