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Æl'c ^.lortlanh íObseruer
January 20, 2010
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Continuing Dr. King’s Noble Work
A shining example to follow
in B enjamin T odd J ealous
Dr. Martin Luther King was a
moral giant and cherished hero of
the world.
He was a tireless champion of
the poor and oppressed against
the powerful. He understood the
inescapable mutability of our fates
and entreated the nation to em­
brace peace, justice and equality.
He called on us to love humanity
and one another and to tight for a
just society. He was a man of
vision and prescience. Sadly,
many of his speeches are just as
relevant today as they were over
40 years ago.
Dr. King courageously raised
his voice against war. He spoke of
the destructive impact of the Viet­
nam war draining resources from
the fight against poverty and ex­
horted people to see the war as
"an enemy of the poor and to
attack it as such."
He spoke on behalf of the Viet­
namese people that we were fight­
ing, "They must weep as the bull­
dozers roar through their areas
preparing to destroy the precious
trees. They wander into
the hospitals with at
least twenty casualties
from American firepower
for one V ietcong-in­
flicted injury. So far we
may have killed a million
of them, mostly children.
began to question the essence of
our prevailing economic
system.
"We must ask the ques­
tion why there are 40 mil­
lion poor people in
America; and when you
begin to ask that ques­
tion, you are raising ques­
tions about the economic
Dr. King asked us all to
give o f our time and our
voice to change the
injustice around us.
They see the children selling their
sisters to our soldiers, soliciting
for their mothers. It is clear to
them that we are on the side of the
wealthy, and the secure, while we
create a hell for the poor."
Today, we are at war in two
nations.
Much of Dr. King's work was to
end the scourge of poverty and he
system, about a broader distribu­
tion of wealth. When you ask that
question, you begin to question
the capitalistic economy."
Today the 40 million of poor Dr.
King spoke of has barely decreased
with 39.2 million Americans living
in poverty. The greed and ex­
cesses of our system has led to
one of the worst recessions in
On Martin Luther King’s Legacy:
by S am A dams
When I dream
of what Portland
will be in 50 years,
I dream of a more
equitable, more
livable, more vi­
brant place. I
dream of living in
a city that not
only strives to be
the best it can be,
but a city where people come to
feel inspired, a place where people
have every opportunity to live
happy, healthy and prosperous
lives.
Dr. King gave us many
gifts. He gave us hope. He
gave us courage. He in­
spired countless people to
make their voices hear, to
be bold and to take “the
first step” toward change.
His legacy lives on in our
community, through indi­
viduals, groups and orga­
nizations that strive to ful-
fill Dr. King’s philosophy of be-
ing brave in the face of adversity
and becoming better because of
it.
S Jllh siC rih p f
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There is more work to do
Portland honors his legacy by sustainability efforts to develop-
taking bold risks and aiming to ing innovative education pro-
believe that Dr. King would be
proud of the progress we’ve made
in the past 40 years. But, there is
more work to do. We must con­
tinue to work to make Portland the
city of our dreams.
On this day, as we honor a great
man, I challenge everyone to look
inside themselves. It took one man
to empower and ignite hope in the
hearts of thousands. We can all
— Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
be that change. We can all work to
make our city the city of our
exceed expectations. We are grams to ensure all our youth have dreams. And I know we will.
known for being a forward-think- the opportunities and support
Sam Adams is Mayor of Port­
ing city, from leading the nation in they need to be successful. I truly land.
Faith is taking the first
step, even when you don Y
see the whole staircase.
JJo rth m b (O bserver
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o r e m a il s u b s c r ip t io n s @ p o r t la n d o b s e r v e r .c o m
history.
poor and he would remind us that
Dr. King championed labor the struggle is not over. The dream
describing the labor movement as has not yet been achieved. That
the "principal force that trans­ the disparities in the criminal jus­
formed misery and despair into tice system, in poverty, in health
hope and progress. When in the and in employment that still plague
30s the wave of union organiza­ our communities means that we
tion crested over our nation, it have a long way to go.
carried to secure shores not only
Dr. King won a Nobel Peace
itself but the whole society," he Prize, and the hearts and minds of
said.
millions of people around the
Today, the laws on union orga­ world. He changed our country
nizing have been weakened and and our world for the better. He
the percentage of unionized work­ offered us a shining paragon that
ers has fallen from 36 percent in we can strive for and ideals that
1945 to 12.4 percent of American we should endeavor to live up to.
workers, only 7.6 percent in the
Today we can best honor Dr.
private sector.
King's life and commemorate his
And Dr. King asked us all to death by continuing his noble
give of our time and our voice to work for a just society with equal
change the injustice around us. opportunity for all, humankind,
"Our lives begin to end the day we peace, economic democracy and
become silent about things that a political system within which
matter," he said.
the rights of all are enshrined.
Dr. King would be deeply sat­
"In the end", said Dr. King, "we
isfied at the progress we have will remember not the words of
made. The historic election of our our enemies, but the silence of our
nation's first African American friends.... Injustice anywhere is a
president, the rise of many promi­ threat to justice everywhere."
nent Black Americans to the pin­
Benjamin Todd Jealous is
nacle of politics and business.
president and chief executive of­
But Dr. King was a man of the ficer of the NAACP.
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