Community Corner

Service Hits Upon Numerous Challenges

Violence, education, equality among topics addressed

Though speakers at Monday’s ecumenical service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. addressed numerous topics, many of them expressed the same idea: the country has seen major advances in civil rights, but still has a great deal of progress to make.

“I’m proud today of the accomplishments of our nation,” said Bishop Benjamin K. Watts, pastor of , at the start of Monday’s event. “But you and I know there is so much more to be done.”

The celebration of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday has been going on since 1986, the first year it was observed as a federal holiday. A crowd of about 200 people gathered outside and marched to Shiloh Baptist Church while singing the popular civil rights song “We Shall Overcome.”

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At the corner of Huntington Street and Jay Street, marchers paused for a moment of silence in honor of 25-year-old Matthew Chew, who was stabbed on the evening of Oct. 29 and found at the intersection. He later died of his injuries, and six teenagers have been charged in the murder. Watts said discussions over how to address violence and its underlying problems cannot be allowed to fade out.

“It’s a spirit of solidarity on at least one point, that collectively we are stating, ‘Never again,’” said Watts.

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At the Shiloh Baptist Church, visitors were greeted by a choir giving a more upbeat version of “We Shall Overcome” with organ and drum accompaniment. A projection of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech on the Washington Mall played on the wall.

Rep. Joe Courtney said the recent shooting in Arizona, which killed six people and seriously injured Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and 12 others, has raised questions about the political discourse in the country. He repeated part of a speech he made in the House of Representatives, quoting Robert F. Kennedy’s plea for understanding in the wake of King’s assassination.

“He concluded that what we need in the United States is not division, what we need is not hatred, what we need is not violence and lawlessness, it is love and wisdom and compassion toward one another,” said Courtney.

Rabbi Carl Astor, of , said there are people who feel threatened by dreams and ideals and will do what they can to shut them out. He said this occurred with King’s death, as well as the deaths of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Jesus Christ.

“They may be able to kill the dreamer, but they can never kill the dream,” said Astor. “All of these people, all of these dreamers, were great people. And it’s up to us to keep their dream alive.”

State Representative Ernest Hewett said there was a need to encourage recruitment and opportunities for local high school students, noting how seven firefighters recently hired by the city came from as far away as New Jersey.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” he said.

City Councilor Wade Hyslop, Jr., who is also pastor of the , said he believes that “as a community we have failed these young people.” He said that there is a need not only for more community interaction with children, but also increased racial equality in the schools and other municipal posts.

“Our children need to have someone in the classrooms who looks like them, who represents them,” he said.

Dr. Nicholas Fischer, superintendent of , agreed that there is a need to increase the diversity of the school employees. He said the students also need more guidance from the community through mentoring, noting how one Chew murder suspect excelled in math and had hopes to be an architect.

“We have to pay attention to the young people who, as it has been said, have given up hope,” said Fischer. “And we have to figure out how to give them hope.”

The keynote speaker, Rev. Marcus Luter, Jr. of , said he recalled the “separate, but certainly not equal” aspects of segregation, including how he would take a picnic lunch for trips to the South because it was not guaranteed he would find a restaurant to serve him. He said the holiday was an example that impressions can change over time.

However, Luter said there are also signs that King’s dreams and opportunities are not fully realized, citing as examples the response to Hurricane Katrina and the “disrespect shown our Commander in Chief.” Luter said substantial improvements also need to be made to health care, education, unemployment, and other areas.

“But like Rev. King, we refuse to give up hope that our situation will get better,” said Luter.


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