23rd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration — I just returned from the 23rd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration held at the First United Methodist Church of Media. It was chaired by Dr. Cecelia Evans, one of my favorite people.
The Media Area Interfaith Choir directed by Christine Schroth was fantastic, albeit may have been outdone by 9-year-old Emmanuel Armstrong’s reading of “What Do You Know About Dr. King?”. Emmanuel got a standing O.
Emmanuel, however, may have been out done by his grandmother Viola Benson’s solo singing.
The welcome was given by Maria Kotch, president of the Media Fellowship House and the invocation by Rabbi Linda Potemken of Congregation Beth Israel. Media’s excellent mayor, Bob McMahon, welcomed the community and asked for prayers for the children of the Chester School District whose teachers are working without pay as powers-that-be try to work out their budget issues. It’s almost like a teachers strike in reverse.
The only downside to the night was keynote speaker Annette John-Hall, a columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer, who gave an unnecessarily political and divisive speech. Mrs. John-Hall made no attempt to hide where she was coming from and strongly implied that all who disagreed with her were filled with hate and possibly racist.
Quick question Annette, that poor woman fearful of losing her food stamps as she is about to pay her high property tax, why is her property tax so high? How about her energy costs? Wouldn’t it be great if she paid less for her gas because the supply was a bit closer to home?
And Annette, a lot of those people turning against President Obama voted for him. Are they racists now but were not racists then?
On a day to celebrate a great man who was dedicated to unity and inclusiveness there is a word to describe your speech, and that word is irony. Check this video from Jon Stewart’s Daily Show and see if you can pick up on what I mean (foul language warning).
You made it clear you thought yourself a Christian and I believe you. There are a who lot of people, however who think themselves Christians, but don’t agree with you on anything. It’s not because they hate but because they love, and this includes poor people and minorities. And it’s not because they don’t understand your reasoning but it’s because they do and have concluded it doesn’t make sense.
Ask yourselves questions like these: What is the point of money? Why do people start businesses? Why do they hire people? How does food get to the supermarket? Why do I drive the kind of car I drive?
Ask yourself, why the people of Greece can’t get aspirin?
The benediction was given by Rev. Kevin S. West who is associate pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Chester where Rev. King served his internship. Rev. West ended the night by leading the crowd with “We Shall Overcome.” Jacob Manny provided a trumpet solo.
The sponsors of the event were the Media Fellowship House, the Media Area Unit NAACP, the Unitarian University Church of Delaware County, the Reformation Lutheran Church, Congregation Beth Israel, the Second Baptist Church of Media, Media Friends Meeting and First United Methodist Church of Media.
I, too, felt the politics were unnecessary, and inappropriate, at the celebration of Dr. King’s birthday. I would say that whether I agree with John-Hall’s politics or not. I certainly do not agree with continuing on the destructive path of polarization that America finds itself immersed in at this point in our history. It is time to find common ground and work together for a better America. John-Hall’s speech did nothing to further this cause.
Well said, Janet