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OP-ED: Reagan said, “Republicans and Democrats should live up to the commandments King lived by.”

Published

9 years ago

January 14, 2015

“Dr. King had awakened something strong and true, a sense that true justice must be colorblind, and that among white and Black Americans, as he put it, ‘Their destiny is tied up with our destiny, and their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom; we cannot walk alone.’” ~President Ronald Reagan, as he signed into law the Martin Luther King Jr. national holiday.

Dr. King grew up in a middle class family. His grandfather, James King, became the pastor of Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church in 1913 and remained the Senior Pastor until 1931 when Martin Luther King Sr. took over as Senior Pastor.

Martin Luther King Jr. graduated from Morehouse College as did his father and grandfather. Dr. King added a Doctorate degree from Boston University. If he had chosen another path in life, his family could have been so pleasant in their Atlanta middle class neighborhood where they could have raised their four children in a life of privilege that few Americans, Black or white, would have had the opportunity to live.

In an era when the news was filled with the death of Emmett Till and the National Guard being called in to protect small children entering a school, and in a time when Black men were lynched in the town square in broad daylight, Dr. King chose a path fought with numerous beatings and jailings, and ultimate death by assassination at age 39.

As we observe his birthday, we should remember the price he paid.

And now, 46 years since his death, many Black Americans still struggle to live the “Dream.”

In 2015, Black America is still very segregated and remains the least employed and the poorest of all demographics in America. Many Americans are saying that race relations in America are worse today than they were 10 years ago. Because crime, violence and police killings of Blacks in broad day light continues to cripple many Black majority neighborhoods, the chants are not “free at last, free at last, thank God almighty, I’m free at last,” but rather “hands up, don’t shoot” and “no justice no peace.”

Upon the close of his speech to sign the MLK Jr. holiday into law, Ronald Reagan said, “Each year on Martin Luther King Day, let us not only recall Dr. King, but rededicate ourselves to the Commandments he believed in and sought to live every day: Thou shall love thy God with all thy heart, and thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. And I just have to believe that all of us—if all of us, young and old, Republicans and Democrats, do all we can to live up to those Commandments, then we will see the day when Dr. King’s dream comes true, and in his words, ‘All of God’s children will be able to sing with new meaning… land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring.’”

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Related Topics:Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.Karen Watson MLK Day 2015 OP-ED Opinion President Ronald Reagan

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Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

Published

19 hours ago

April 26, 2024

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Alameda County

DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland

Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018.

Published

4 days ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones

Publisher’s note: Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018. The photo was too small for readers to see where the women were and what they were doing. Here we show Price and Jones as they complete a walk in memory of Scott. For more information and to contribute, please contact Carol Jones at 510-978-5517 at morefoundation.help@gmail.com. Courtesy photo.

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City Government

Vallejo Welcomes Interim City Manager Beverli Marshall

At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Vallejo City Council appointed Beverli Marshall as the interim city manager. Her tenure in the City Manager’s Office began today, Wednesday, April 10. Mayor Robert McConnell praised Marshall’s extensive background, noting her “wide breadth of experience in many areas that will assist the City and its citizens in understanding the complexity of the many issues that must be solved” in Vallejo.

Published

4 days ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

Beverli Marshall began her first day with the City on April 10. ICMA image.

Special to The Post

At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Vallejo City Council appointed Beverli Marshall as the interim city manager. Her tenure in the City Manager’s Office began today, Wednesday, April 10.

Mayor Robert McConnell praised Marshall’s extensive background, noting her “wide breadth of experience in many areas that will assist the City and its citizens in understanding the complexity of the many issues that must be solved” in Vallejo.

Current City Manager Michael Malone, whose official departure is slated for April 18, expressed his well wishes. “I wish the City of Vallejo and Interim City Manager Marshall all the best in moving forward on the progress we’ve made to improve service to residents.” Malone expressed his hope that the staff and Council will work closely with ICM Marshall to “ensure success and prosperity for the City.”

According to the Vallejo Sun, Malone stepped into the role of interim city manager in 2021 and became permanent in 2022. Previously, Malone served as the city’s water director and decided to retire from city service e at the end of his contract which is April 18.

“I hope the excellent work of City staff will continue for years to come in Vallejo,” he said. “However, recent developments have led me to this decision to announce my retirement.”

When Malone was appointed, Vallejo was awash in scandals involving the housing division and the police department. A third of the city’s jobs went unfilled during most of his tenure, making for a rocky road for getting things done, the Vallejo Sun reported.

At last night’s council meeting, McConnell explained the selection process, highlighting the council’s confidence in achieving positive outcomes through a collaborative effort, and said this afternoon, “The Council is confident that by working closely together, positive results will be obtained.”

While the search for a permanent city manager is ongoing, an announcement is expected in the coming months.

On behalf of the City Council, Mayor McConnell extended gratitude to the staff, citizen groups, and recruitment firm.

“The Council wishes to thank the staff, the citizens’ group, and the recruitment firm for their diligent work and careful consideration for the selection of what is possibly the most important decision a Council can make on behalf of the betterment of our City,” McConnell said.

The Vallejo Sun contributed to this report.