Thousands of People Gather in Washington to 'Redeem the Dream'
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: It was 37 years ago today Martin Luther King Jr. stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and spoke of his dream for racial equality. Today, thousands of people gathered in the same spot in Washington to redeem the dream, and called for an end to unfair treatment of minorities by the police. Kathleen Koch has more.</s>MARTIN LUTHER KING III, SCLC: And abolish racial profiling!</s>KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was a call for change from the son of the man who transfixed so many 37 years ago.</s>REV. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.: Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation.</s>KOCH: In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. dreamt of a day when all Americans would be judged by the content of their character. But recent cases of police brutality and ongoing problems with racial profiling led African-American leaders to rally in Washington to redeem the dream. Speakers included victims, like Abner Louima, beaten and sodomized by New York police in 1997.</s>ABNER LOUIMA, ASSAULT VICTIM: We demand for the government to use their power as one of the greatest nations in the world to end police brutality, to end racial profiling.</s>KOCH: Amadou Diallo was shot to death by police in the vestibule of his Bronx apartment last year. His parents recalled Dr. King's dream.</s>SAIKO DIALLO, SHOOTING VICTIM'S FATHER: My family and I regret tremendously that his dream has not been realized. Had his dream been realized, our son Amadou would be still alive today.</s>KOCH: Protesters came with their own stories and hope for change.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I drive a Mercedes Benz, and I've been pulled over on countless times for no apparent reason.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it all has to start in the heart of individual people. People have to learn to love each other.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, let everybody, let the world know that we don't really want to take this no more.</s>KOCH (on camera): Only a few states have specific laws against racial profiling, but nearly two dozen other are considering such measures. Demonstrators here want Congress to mandate a nationwide study of the problem and how to stop it. (voice-over): They also called for federal prosecution of high- profile police brutality cases and an executive order banning racial profiling by the federal government. Organizers say the rally is just the first step on a long road.</s>CORETTA SCOTT KING: I think we just want justice to be evenhanded.</s>KING: The time is now, but I'm not sure that the will is there. We're always in a phase of denial.</s>KOCH: Something they hope events like this can change. Kathleen Koch, for CNN, Washington.