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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 14, 2015)
Opinion King and President Johnson Stood Together T he new highly- acclaimed motion picture ”Selma” sug- gests that former President Lyndon Baines Johnson was not an ardent supporter of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and that he and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had a less than fragile relation- ship. Nothing is farther from the truth. Both men worked very hard to create a society in which all people have the right to vote, access to medical care, decent housing and funding for education. In my view, history will show that no other Ameri- can president played as a critical a role in the advancement of civil rights, fair housing and education than President Johnson. In fact, a number of authors have written that only the acts of President Abraham Lincoln equal what Presi- dent Johnson did for minori- ties in America. Most knowledgeable his- torians agree that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act, which passed one year later, became law because Presi- dent Johnson passionately supported them. In addition financial assistance to students from low- NNPA income families. G UEST Under the law, $1 bil- C OLUMNIST lion in funding was made available to schools that serviced Eddie minority students. Bernice The measure was Johnson described as the “most significant step of this century” to to the two landmark civil rights measures, the nation assist all school children. Dr. King and President also witnessed the passage of legislation that intro- duced Medicaid and Medicare during the John- son administration. In fact, federal legislation that prohibited housing dis- crimination in the sale, rental or financing of hous- ing based on race, national origin or religion was signed into law by President Johnson were born and Johnson. The federal hous- reared in a segregated ing legislation, which South. They understood the became a model for many political realities of the state legislatures, became region, and they worked as law on April 11, 1968, just best they could to change seven days after the assassi- them. Dr. King was present at the White House when nation of Dr. King. In the area of education, the Voting Rights Act was President Johnson included signed into law. He and in his “War on Poverty” President Johnson commu- agenda, the Elementary and nicated regularly. Their Secondary Education Act of individual lives impacted 1965. Among other things the country and each other. While speaking before a the legislation provided joint session of Congress to propose the Voting Rights Act, President Johnson pas- sionately said, “And we shall overcome.” Dr. King and some of his close aides watched the president on television. One of them, my colleague Congressman John Lewis, said that Dr. King cried when he heard the president use the banner cry of the Civil Rights Movement during his Only the acts of President Abraham Lincoln equal what President Johnson did for minorities in America address. The importance of Presi- dent Johnson’s work was national debate over the Vietnam War had damaged the soul of this patriot and defender of civil rights. I do not believe that legislation guaranteeing equal rights to minorities would have passed Congress but for his fortitude, and his belief in the equality of all people. President Johnson, a for- mer teacher and Dr. King, a Baptist preacher, had tremendous respect for each other, and understood the crucial roles that each played in changing our nation, and its laws. They both assumed vital and nec- essary roles in making America the democracy that it is today. Rep Eddie Bernice John- son represents Texas’ 30th Congressional District. guson, Eric Garner, and so many others what do those national cases, mean to you? Chief O’Dea: They send me a very powerful mes- sage. What I see out of these incidents, are segments of the community don’t have a trusting relationship with their police department. So it is critical to build that trust. So I think that it is critical to me that it just reflected to me that throughout this country there’s still seg- ments of the community— largely in the minority community—that don’t have the trusting relation- ship with their police department that they should. And that’s where our work lies. And connected to that work is having a police department reflective of the community and having a police department that is focusing on the communi- ties’ priorities. O’Dea continued from page 2 someone stay here, be here, be connected, and have the support are the folks who live here and grow up here. So we’re looking at what are our best strategies for recruiting right here in the metro-area so we’re not pulling people away from their families and support systems, they’re here and connected to the community already. TSN: In the wake of Fer- Page 6 The Portland and Seattle Skanner January 14, 2015 celebrated at the University of Texas in Austin last year at the library named for him by ordinary citizens and by President Obama who was joined by former presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. I will join Congressional col- leagues in a celebration of President Johnson’s monu- mental achievements later this year in the nation’s capitol. In a few days, the entire nation will pause to acknowledge the contribu- tions made by Dr. King. There will be tributes, parades and speeches made to celebrate his remarkable life which was cut short by a sniper’s bullet. President Johnson died of a heart attack after deciding not to seek a second term as our nation’s leader. The
