MLK marade
I’ve taken part in these marches in the past, but this was my first after having lived out of state for awhile. When I arrived at City Park at the start of the parade, I noticed that a rabbi was being introduced to pray and as he started his prayer, loud noises from some other p.a. system started blaringsuch that I could barely hear the prayer that was being lifted up to God. Confused, I walked over to where the other voice was coming from and I discovered another rally being held simultaneously to the primary one. I asked one of the people attending that event what was going on and she answered that this alternative rally is a new event “more in the spirit of MLK” than the other one – which she derided as “watered-down, corporate sponsored, de-radicalized". A bit indignant, I shot back that MLK was a Christian pastor and he’d not likely be thrilled about having a speech drowning out someone at prayer.
A friend of the young woman overheard us and interjected that this new rally is grass-roots movement “of the people” and I’d likely be welcome to say a prayer if I wanted to on their speaker system. And then he handed me a slip of paper describing theorganizers of that rally.
After a few more words were exchanged, I walked back over to the main rally in time to hear the end of someone else’s prayer and then, with no transitional words or pause at all, someone took the microphone and started sharing about how great Kaiser Permanete is for helping sponsor today’s events. I’m sure it wasn’t their intent, but it actually felt like “These prayers brought to you by…” And then, as the parade started, I couldn’t believe the number of people walking around with State Farm hats and scarves and signs saying “State Farm, we share the dream.” It felt like the event was being cheapened by having corporations exploit it with their promotional freebies.
I understand that these sponsoring corporations give money to the MLK Foundation, but is their sponsorship of the Marade actually needed? Various religious groups and social justice organizations could easily hand out hats and scarves as well has hot coco or coffee - and, in honor of MLK’s concern for economic justice, you can sure it’d be Fair Trade chocolate and coffee! The other thing that rubbed me wrong was that the smaller, newer, “more radical,” alternative rally had theirfolks chanting “The people, united, can never be defeated!” – while they had people walking about with smaller bull horns heckling and goading the larger crowd of people whowere at the other rally. Talk about ironic.
Moreover, some of the language coming from the main speakers of the alternative rally was less than to be desired. This is supposed to be a family event and there were many children present. Feel free to be radical politically, but if you can’t say it without vulgarity, it may not be worth hearing.
The whole thing was quite sad and I’m not sure that the man whose birthday we were supposedly honoring would’ve appreciated much of it. Clearly, there’s room for moderates, liberals, and radicals, etc. under MLK’s big tent, but darn it, why’d it have to feel so tense and yucky? I urge the leadership of both of rallies to meet together in advance of next year’s Marade. A repeat of what took place this year would not be something I’d care to experience again.
That said, long live MLK’s dream of a “beloved community” living together without war, without racism, without economic exploitation and in peace, harmony, and justice for all!
Roger Wolsey
Boulder
This letter has not been edited.