As someone who spends a lot of time writing words for other people, I’m very interested in why speeches and performances like the one Martin Luther King Jr. gave at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom inspire so much emotion in us.

Here’s the answer I’m pretty settled on.

I don’t think it’s because the “I Have A Dream” speech is so well-written (it is) or because MLK is such a talented orator (he is) or even because the stakes of the historical moment are so high (they are).

All of these make the speech perfect, but they aren’t what move us to tears.

I don’t think it’s because of the hopefulness of Dr. King’s message or the sadness about so much injustice or the devastation of still being where we are.

Here’s why I think Dr. King’s speech moves us so deeply: His willingness to open up his Dream, his deepest desire, in the most vulnerable way, shows us that we have the same desire, and it’s one that most of us don’t allow ourselves to experience.

MLK’s speech evokes qualities in us that are already present. It reminds us of our own core goodness which our egos, and particularly our cultural conditioning, don’t allow us to see.

To be sure, we could not recognize that goodness if it were not who we are.

The moral clarity of this desire burns so hot that it cuts right through to the core of our being and we’re reminded of our own true nature and purpose.

As we consider MLK’s unimpeded truth (and our own deepest desire) that the world be rid of the Evil of racism, let’s also consider the other two great Evils of society that King spoke on with every bit as much moral clarity: the Evils of poverty and war.

Racism should not ever exist.

Poverty should not ever exist.

War should not ever exist.

We already deeply believe this. All the power we need to permanently obliterate these Evils is already within us.

Thank God for people like Martin Luther King who show that to us.