My Dad and Martin

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, everyone.  I have looked up to Dr. King ever since I was little.  The first non-fiction I ever read was his biography (a treasured find from a school book fair).  I've had a photograph of him holding his Nobel Peace Prize as long as I can remember, framed on my wall over the years.  But I remember one instance when my faith in his Dream was first tested.  I was too young to remember much of the details surrounding the incident, but fortunately my father had the courage and wisdom to speak up and ask, "Why?"

Today, in honor of one of my heroes, I thought I'd abstain from preaching my own feigned wisdom and instead quote another hero of mine.  The following was taken from his Letter to the Editor for the Tucson Citizen Jan. 21, 2004.  Thanks Dad.

 

King’s Message Ignored

Another Martin Luther King Day has come, and Tucsonans have taken notice along with the rest of the country. But have we really honored King’s legacy?

When I moved my family to Tucson three years ago, I was pleased to see that the Tucson Unified School District had “magnet” schools – schools that supposedly specialized in certain curricular areas.

It was an opportunity, I thought, to let my children focus on their individual talents. Yet, when I contacted the district, I was told quite bluntly that my son would not be welcome at the school we were interested in. Why? Because he’s the wrong color.

The magnet schools aren’t and never were about specialized curriculum. They’re about a government-enforced system of racial discrimination. If your skin is one shade, you’re welcome here; if it’s another, you’ll just have to go somewhere else.

My son keeps a picture of Martin Luther King on his wall, and we’ve read his biography together more than once. I had to tell this boy, who holds Dr. King as one of his greatest heroes, that right now, in America, our local government refuses to judge him by the content of his character, and will consider only the color of his skin.

Some will say there’s nothing the district can do, since this system is the result of a judicial edict. Can’t go against the judge, can we? But wait. Weren’t there judges, and police, and even governors enforcing racial discrimination when Dr. King stood against it? What did he teach us? When the law is that wrong, we have a responsibility to resist.

Where are the school administrators, the parents, the local government officials, and the ordinary citizens, who are willing to stand, nonviolently but firmly, as Dr. King did, against this government-sponsored system of racial discrimination?

Where are those who are willing to pay a price to make a change? Where are those who are willing to truly honor Martin Luther King?

DONALD BUGG