JANUARY 13, 2023 PUZZLES MLK from last page support a strike staged by the Black Garbage Workers Union. On the wet and stormy night of April 3, 1968, King was feeling a little cold, but he summoned enough energy and strength to deliver the “Mountaintop speech” at Mason Temple Church of Memphis. He was prophetic when he preached, “ … like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now … I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land. And I’m happy tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I am not afraid of any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the Lord.” The next day, around 6 p.m., April 4, 1968 Dr. King was assassinated while standing on the balcony of his second floor room at the Lorraine Motel by a career criminal named James Earl Ray. Dr. King’s family refused to believe that Mr. Ray acted alone. Dr. King’s Revolutionary Spirit, Impacts and Legacy Many historians cannot say for sure when Dr. King’s revolutionary spirit started. However, the change of his name from Michael King to Martin Luther King when he was about six years old was a major change in his young life. Enrolling in college at the tender age of 15 in the segregated South may have contributed to his revolutionary spirit. Obviously, having Pastor Martin Luther King Sr. as a dad and a role model could have fired up Dr. King’s revolutionary spirit. We do know that King had read most of the Great Books before his death. Dr. King was a voracious consumer of knowledge and information. In general, he believed that “the function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character — that is the goal of true education.” King’s 1947 article, published in his college newspaper, The Maroon Tigers, argued that “…education must also train one for quick, resolute and effective thinking. To think incisively and to think for one’s self is very difficult. We are prone to let our mental life become invaded by legions of half truths, prejudices and propaganda. At this point, I often wonder whether or not education is fulfilling its purpose. A great majority of the so-called educated people do not think logically and scientifically. Even the press, the classroom, the platform, and the pulpit in many instances, do not give the objective and unbiased truths.” Stanford University’s Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute published Dr. King’s 1947 College article, with the title, “The Purpose of Education.” Dr. King also said, “…To save man from the morass of propaganda, in my opinion, is one of the chief aims of education. Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from fiction … But education which stops with efficiency may prove the greatest menace to society. The most dangerous criminal may be a man gifted with reason, but with no morals.” This writer believes that Dr. King experienced a great revolution of the mind and spirit while studying at Morehouse College in Atlanta. We know that he loved to read, think and reflect. He was knowledgeable about the writings of ancient civilizations in Egypt, the Holy Land and Greece. He was familiar with writings about the Roman Empire and the Renaissance era. He was aware of the voluminous work of Germany’s Martin Luther who embarked on the reformation of the Christian Church. Dr. King was influenced by the writing and oratory of the legendary abolitionist, Fredrick Douglass. King was knowledgeable about the work of anti-slavery activists such as David Walker’s “Appeal,” Harriet Tubman’s Underground Railroad, William Lloyd Garrison’s “The Liberator,” W.E.B. DuBois's “Souls of Black Folk” and Booker T. Washington’s Black development strategies to mention a few. Dr. King left a legacy of non-violent direct action for social change, a life of service and activism, inclusive multiracial democracy, resilience and perseverance, community self-analysis of value choices and world-mindedness. We encourage our readers to watch the video “The Other America” and to listen to the “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” and “What is Your Life’s Blueprint?” speeches on Youtube. Because race still matters in American life, culture and society, we do encourage our readers to view the video of Dr. Cornel West's 2002 speech titled “Race Matters.” It was delivered as the Jessie and John Danz Lecture at the University of Washington in Seattle. There have been noticeable improvements in society since the late 1960s. The nation is more diverse and more prosperous. However, issues of racism, poverty, inequality, inequity and inclusivity are still problematic. In the cold winter of 2014, some homeless people in Washtenaw County froze to death. It’s much better today. In Los Angeles, five homeless people die every night. There are still more than 44,000 people who are experiencing homelessness on the streets of Los Angeles. Mayor Karen Bass got the city council to pass “A Homeless EmerGROUNDCOVER NEWS 9 LOGIC PUZZLE BY JAN GOMBART 1. Create an eight-digit number using the digits 4, 4, 3, 3, 2, 2, 1, 1. Make sure the ones are separated by one digit, the twos are separated by two digits the threes are separated with three digits and the fours are separated by four digits. What is the number? gency Ordinance.” Most urban counties in America are faced with similar shelter and health emergencies. What would Dr. King say? He would want us to declare a national emergency now. Enough partisan politics! Enough NIMBY policy debates and public hearings!! Action now to save lives!! Learn more and articipate in the conversation: https://oami.umich. edu/um-mlk-symposium/events/
10 Publizr Home