Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 20 January 2000 — Page 2

The Muncie Times, January 20, 2000, page 2

EDITORIAL

MLK Day should be a time for people to come together

By T. S. Kumbula During the first month of the new millennium, as we celebrate the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday birthday, it is a good time to reflect on the state of race relations in the United States of America. It is also a time to stop and wonder what the Nobel Prize-winning advocate of nonviolence would think if he were back on Earth among the rest of us. We think that Dr. King would be disappointed that race discrimination continues and that raciallymotivated hates crimes are on the increase across the country. We are sure, he would also take into account that there have been some improvements: there are more African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Native

Americans and Asian Americans serving in the U. S. Congress than when he died in April 1968; there are more ethnic minority judges; there are more minorities and women elected to local legislatures, city councils, county and parish commissions and school boards than they were 30 years ago. More minorities own homes, are in college, playing basketball, football and baseball. There are more minorities attaining higher positions, such as in the Cabinet, in business, academic and in the professional fields. So there has been progress that would please Dr. King. But the journey is far from over. There are still far too many children living in poverty. There are still far too many

poor minorities and women. The income gap between white and nonwhite Americans is still to wide and show's no immediate signs of shrinking or narrowing. There are still too many racists in this country. Many of them hide their bigotry behind innocuous-sounding language, such as seeking an end to affirmative action because it allegedly discriminates against whites. They know this is not true, but they mouth it anyway. Some have found stooges, such as California’s Ward Connerly, to do their dirty work. Others have used an apparently hostile political environment to push their agendas, which seek to exclude minorities and women. They did their best to stymie President Clinton’s race initiative.

They have used a politically sympathetic judicial system to whittle away at civil rights, affirmative action and equal opportunity initiatives. Dr. King would be disappointed that almost 37 years after his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, this country is still polarized on race matters. Many of the country’s so-called leaders are doing nothing to promote the concept of a one America. They fail to realize that before this century is out, nonwhites will become this country's minority-majority. That means when the nonwhite are looked at collectively, they will outnumber the Caucasian population. That is food for thought. This time, as we honor Dr. King, we should be reaching

out to all people. We should be trying to bask in our common humanity. We should be looking at what binds us together, instead of what separates us. Yre should use this occasion to remember what he .said about our common humanity and the need to come together and be judged as human beings, not blacks, whites or any other color. If we refuse to come together voluntarily, we can set in motion events that could ultimately destroy us. Let us use this occasion to reflect on the past, present and future of race relations in this country. If we fail to do that, we shall suffer the consequences and so will future generations. That would be counter to everything that Dr. King stood, suffered and died for.

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MUNCIE TIMES STAFF

Publisher Bea Moten-Foster Editor John T. Lambkun Advertising Bea Moten-Foster and Richard Casey Layout Lamont Chandler and Shana Looney Typesetting Kelly Benford and Samantha Overbay

Contributors: Dr. WJ. Duncan, Tabatha A. Tower-Harris, Bea Moten-Foster, Bernice PowellJackson, Dr. T.S. Kumbula, John Lambkun, Judy Mays and Hugh Price. The Muncie Times is published twice monthly at 1304 N. Broadway, Muncie, Ind. 47303. It covers the communities of Anderson, Marion, New Castle, Richmond, and Muncie. All editorial correspondence should be addressed to: The Editor, The Muncie Times, 1304 N. Broadway, Muncie, IN 47303. Telephone (765) 741-0037. Fax (765) 741-0040.

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