Friday, December 30, 2011

Recapturing the revolutionary spirit of MLK Jr.

By Larry Gossett

This year will mark the thirtieth year the MLK Jr. Celebration Committee has organized a broad based, grassroots community salute to the legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the greater Seattle area. We are involving hundreds of people from the Black, Latino, Native American, Asian, Pacific Islander, labor, faith based, environmental and progressive white neighborhoods located in every part of the Puget Sound Region.

In order to celebrate and focus most accurately on what Dr. King was fighting for in the last three years of his life, our committee has selected the theme “Recapturing Martin Luther King’s Revolutionary Spirit!”

During the years 1966-68, Dr. King significantly expanded his dream for America. He was organizing a Poor People’s March with the aim of closing down the United States Congress until legislation was passed to eliminate poverty in our nation. He spoke out uncompromisingly against the war in Vietnam. And, he was brutally murdered standing up for sanitation workers in Memphis.

Dr. King was killed because he was advocating for a radical political and economic democracy in our country.

We will highlight this more truthful reflection of Dr. King’s legacy as we mobilize thousands of people to celebrate Dr. King’s birthday at Garfield High School on Monday, January 16th, 2012. Check out the website at www.mlkseattle.org

As usual we have organized a great array of workshops, covering such topics as “Mass Incarceration in a Color Blind Society, “How to Redistribute Wealth in a Corporate Economy,” “Closing the Achievement Gap in the Public Schools,” and many more. These workshops will take place from 9:30a.m. until 11:00a.m. in classrooms inside Garfield school. At 11:00a.m., we will host a community rally inside the Garfield gymnasium. At 12:30p.m., we will begin our annual march from Garfield to the Federal Building on 2nd and Madison.

Please join us.

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