On Aug. 28, we all celebrated (or at least we should have) the 42nd anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech. King had “a dream that [his] four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” As one of the most influential speeches in American history, many of us question whether King’s dream has been realized.

Last Tuesday, Charlotte Roy, a black woman, was fired from her position as editor of the Gainesville Guardian. The Gainesville Guardian is supposed to be a newspaper targeted toward African Americans. According to Jim Doughton, the Guardian’s Publisher, the newspaper is “a community publication designed to serve both east Gainesville and the African American community.”

The New York Times Co. is responsible for this “black” paper. Many existing black newspapers and columnists are upset about the Times’ decision to make such a paper. Most question how the Guardian could truly capture the voice of African Americans if they are under the rule of the Times Co.

If it weren’t for Roy getting fired, I would be in support of the Times. When first hearing about the Guardian during the summer, I figured the resources (money) the Times offer would help bring out issues that matter to blacks on a more well-known forum.

As Clara McLaughlin Criswell of the Florida Star stated after hearing the news about Roy’s firing, “We’ll get the readers and they’ll get the ads because they’re a white company and they’ll have a stronger base.”

What I failed to realize was there are numerous black newspapers that are not backed by big newspaper conglomerates.

Roy’s firing seems to be more of a PR move. One of the interim co-editors, Rob Oglesby, is white; the Times has denied the Guardian is a “black” publication.

This just goes to show the Times still runs everything that has to do with the Guardian, and hurts the credibility of the black voice in its pages.

While the Times may have good intentions, Roy’s firing with the lack of an explanation, and the sudden shift in its target audience, furthers that descent in credibility.

What makes matters worse, according to the Radio-Television News Directors Association’s annual survey with Ball State University, about 21 percent of TV’s news workforce and only 12.5 percent of news-director positions are held by minorities. Yet, minorities make up 32 percent of the U.S. population.

Minorities are underrepresented due to a lack of minority reporters and directors.

The presence of more minorities would give the media a more diverse view of the city, state and country in which they live. This avoids issues like white males discussing topics like reparations or the Voting Rights Act (which could expire in 2007), without the perspectives of blacks and other minorities in the mix.

There’s nothing worse than one minority’s attempt (and usual failure) at representing the entire minority voice.

Even though there has been great progress since 1963, when King made his speech, minorities continue to struggle to make their voices heard in the media.

But like King said, “This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism.” I hope the American Dream King envisioned will come to fruition.

Columns reflect the opinion of the author and not necessarily that of the Northern Star staff.