On the day reserved in the U.S. to honor slain civil rights leader the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., several speakers at Newton’s 57th annual community celebration of his life contrasted Dr. King’s character, values, and ethics with those of President Donald J. Trump, the other man in the spotlight on January 20.
“What would Dr. King say about the [Trump presidential] inauguration that is about to happen a few hours from now?,” wondered the Rev. Dr. Debra W. Haffner, co-minister of the First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton (FUUSN) where the event organized by the Harmony Foundation took place.
“We live in the ‘Divided States of America,’” said the Rev. Dr. Brandon Crowley of Newton’s Historic Myrtle Baptist Church during his speech.
Acknowledging that many across the country feel a sense of foreboding and unease with the change in presidential administrations, speakers also said they were inspired by and hopeful about the country’s youth. The four dynamic and thoughtful Newton high school students who spoke at the gathering exemplified that inspiration and hope.
Saying she stands “resolute in my conviction in the promise of our young people,” Mayor Ruthanne Fuller emphasized that “this is no time for apathy and complacency.” Instead, it is a time for positive action against hate.
“We gather strength from each other,” said Fuller. “I do have faith in our community.”
Need for civil debate
Speaking about their personal experiences, Newton South students Ellis Brown and Ava Andrade and Newton North students Nour El Fekih and Susany Louis moved attendees with their speeches.
Brown, who focused on society’s impulse to “shy away” from views that differ from their own, daringly stated, “I think that argument is good.”
Using YouTube as an example, he noted that the app’s algorithm usually shows videos viewers agree with, rather than opposing points of view.
“What I’m arguing for, is more argument,” he stated. It is vital to “challenge our opinions” and debate through civil discourse, like Dr. King.
After praising all the students, Superintendent Anna Nolin said, “More listening in this world … is also needed.”
Noting that Brown challenged people to embrace disagreement, she asked him what inspired his talk.
Citing his debate team, Brown said members must prepare arguments for and against specific topics and discuss them in a civil manner to understand issues from other people’s points of view.
“How else are we supposed to resolve disagreement?,” he asked in his speech.
Call to action
Saying the four students made him hopeful for the future, Rev. Crowley, the featured speaker, gave a pointed speech excoriating Trump, white privilege, and false narratives about Dr. King.
“Justice is hanging in the balance,” he said. “White people must do more.”
Focusing on Dr. King’s 1963 I Have a Dream speech – originally titled Normalcy, Never Again – Rev. Crowley said, “White America – this is not your dream. … We don’t need dreaming white people – we need white people to wake up.”
Rev. Crowley said we must confront the image of Dr. King as simply a “dreamer,” which overshadows the radical nature of his calls for justice. This instead turns Dr. King into a “palatable symbol” for white Americans, so they feel comfortable, he said.
“The dream is for us, the work is for you,” said Rev. Crowley, reminding the audience that Dr. King did not envision “that we would dream indefinitely.”
“America refuses to reconcile with her damnable past,” said Rev. Crowley, who noted that Dr. King called for reparations to address centuries of unpaid wages and exploitation.
Describing whiteness as a system of “privilege and dominance,” Rev. Crowley challenged white attendees to confront those privileges and have a willingness to listen to and learn from others.
Rev. Crowley told audience members that they cannot just “check a box” that they went to a Dr. King event on January 20. Instead, he said that making change and fighting for justice is a lifelong commitment.
Dynamic music and opportunities to act
The annual celebration also featured music performed by the ZOZA Quartet, the All-City Troubadour Singers, and a joint choir combining the Voices of Inspiration from Myrtle Baptist Church and the FUUSN Choir.
The Rev. Devlin Scott, pastor of NewCity Church, was master of ceremonies for the event. He and fellow board members of the Harmony Foundation also spoke.
Following the event, FUUSN hosted a Community Fair in its parish hall, where attendees met with representatives of a dozen Newton community organizations to learn about their missions and volunteer opportunities.
Praising Rev. King’s legacy of service, Rev. Scott encouraged the audience to learn more and get involved.
“Your impact is real,” he said.
See NewTV’s video and the program for the event.
