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"Originally, this was a longer speech that included a introduction
to Governor Deval Patrick however, as a result of time constraints,
only the introduction was given at the Annual Martin Luther King
Jr., Remembrance Celebration at Centre Trinity United Methodist
Church on January 14, 2007. The following day, Martin Luther
King Jr. Day, it was my honor to deliver this speech at the Our Lady
of the Assumption Church after a service given by Father Stan Kolasa."
- Scott W. Lang, Mayor of the City of New Bedford
Photos by Jack Iddon
Greetings to Rev. Green, Rev. Lima, Rev. Reed, the
Martin Luther King Day Committee,
the NAACP, all participants of today’s celebration, all the clergy
and citizens of New Bedford, the families, the young people here
today, Governor Patrick and Congressman Frank, and all honored
guests, including those public servants and elected officials on
whom we rely, some to protect and serve us in New Bedford, and some
represent us in our government.
We gather to celebrate another Martin
Luther King Day in this most historic
church built before the Civil War, in the era when New Bedford lit
the world. We are now entering an era when New Bedford seeks to
become a beacon for the ideal that the diversity of its people is a
community’s greatest strength. Martin Luther King Day has never
been solely about Dr. King as an individual, but rather, a day to
reflect upon his work, his ideals and the indelible mark he has left
over the course of time and reflection.
Dr. King’s life
personified the Civil Rights Movement. This movement brought
together people of all races, creeds, religions, and socio-economic
groups for a common ideal, and all that spurs from it—found in our
Declaration of Independence, simply, that all men are created equal.
This ideal, to have any meaning other than a religious and political
tome, must be put into practice in our daily lives in New Bedford
and in every community in our country.
 Celebrating
Martin Luther King Jr., as an individual, diminishes the importance
of Dr. King and this day. We must begin to celebrate this day as a
yearly milestone for his, and our, contemporary movement. This
movement is as powerful and apparent as all of us banning together
in this blessed church. It is as powerful and apparent as the
100,000 people of New Bedford recognizing that they are a family,
one community, made up of many different, diverse and unique
individuals, who all have the same wants and concerns, and must
collaborate in good faith to achieve their common goals. That
collective cooperation, responsibility and accountability can begin
to solve urban problems here in New Bedford and in America, in the
areas of crime, education, economic development, quality of life,
and community relations.
Specifically in our City and country, we
must begin to use this contemporary movement to disseminate the
philosophy and the practical application of Dr. King’s belief in
“the creative power of non-violence.” Our cities and country are
suffering from an indifference to violent crime and passivity to the
social and economic inequality that affects the quality of life of
many of our citizens. The doctrine of non-violence as fostered by
the contemporary movement will bring about a safe haven for all of
our citizens to live and learn. At the core of non-violence is
respect and compassion for all our fellow human beings. It is the
ability to harness the energy of confrontation, controversy and
despair into constructive, positive communication and action, to
resolve the most difficult issues. Dispute resolution through
non-violence is a pivotal concept—the solemn recognition that every
human life is precious and unique and each life is inter-related and
integral to our entire community, and therefore to each other. The
contemporary movement must champion the concept of non-violence.
Using pure conjecture, we can imagine what
Martin Luther King, Jr. would be
speaking about if he were with us today. I believe he would talk
about each of us taking responsibility for our own actions. He
would acknowledge life’s challenges and life’s inequities; he would
condemn youth violence. He would lament the lack of a comprehensive
and effective national vision, to promote real public safety,
without an erosion of American freedoms, he would address the need
for affordable housing; he would lament the lack of equal
educational opportunities for all of our youth and denounce the
philosophy of high stakes testing. He would, no doubt, lament the
lack of real opportunity for self-fulfillment and quality of life
issues, and demand equal economic opportunities for all as well. He
would insist upon every man and woman having the full right to vote,
and the absolute requirement in a democracy to count every vote.
And I believe he would have spoken out about the destruction of the
environment, and yes, he would absolutely question the President’s
latest war strategy in Iraq and the President’s long-standing
military and international policies. But most importantly, there
can be no doubt, that he would stress self-restraint, moderation and
non-violence, non-violence above all else. Finally, he would have
called for volunteerism, collaborative problem-solving and
increasing the people mass and momentum of the contemporary
movement.
In his memory, in all our founding fathers’
and patriots’ honor, we must join and sustain this contemporary
movement. Does that mean that each person must be involved each
day, or does it mean that each person must adopt the philosophy and
apply it in daily life? The answer, I believe, is affirmative to
both. We must lead our families and communities by example. We
must recognize that each one of us is part of a dynamic, symbiotic
community that must be accountable for our individual and collective
actions.
To participate in the movement is as simple
as spending some quality time with your loved ones, helping your
child with homework, coaching a youth group, mentoring our young
people, joining the P.T.A. or P.T.O., working with our clergy,
helping a neighbor, assisting the elderly, whether within our family
or the community, contributing time, and if possible, money to
charitable endeavors—in short, leading a responsible, connected
life, taking responsibility for our small corner of the world.
New Bedford, the Commonwealth, and America
will begin its revitalization with each individual who embraces
these concepts.
There is no doubt, there is a building
cadence, a drumbeat for change in our City, in our Commonwealth and
in America. It’s based on the contemporary movement left by Dr.
King. It’s based on non-violence, communication, respect, and
goodwill and love towards each other. Join Dr. King’s contemporary
movement. |
