MLK remembered despite weather

I Corps, 17th Fires Bde. celebrate diversity, sponsor 2012 obvservance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Lorin T. Smith/Northwest Guardian

A winter snow storm didn’t prevent about 50 people from celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday Tuesday at the McChord Field Collocated Club.

The basewide observance hosted by I Corps and 17th Fires Brigade celebrated the life of the iconic man who spearheaded the civil rights movement and played a major part in helping African Americans obtain full equal rights and make discussions about social injustice a national priority.

His message of hope for the country to overcome its past and dream for the future led to the election of current president and Commander in Chief Barack Obama.

Inspiring actions like these infused the observance’s theme: “From Dream to Reality.”

Those in attendance heard a very poignant message from Guest Speaker Edward Pierce: just like with the weather, no matter how far the nation has come in relation to diversity and justice, the battle’s never over. That’s why Pierce took time out of his schedule as the executive director for the Commission on African American Affairs and as a member of the Renton City Council to come to JBLM and share his story.

Pierce understands firsthand how hard its been to make King’s dream a reality. His parents struggled with addiction. His grandmother became his role model and convinced Pierce that he was going to be “somebody.”

She was right; he was the first male on his father’s side of the family to go to college, the second African American elected student body president at Washington State University, and the second African American to be elected to the Renton City Council.

His sense of service parallels the ideal King spoke about more than 50 years ago. “My work is driven by a quote by Dr. King: ‘Life’s most persistent and urgent question is What are you doing for others?’” Pierce said. “You can’t really be a dreamer if you don’t accomplish anything.”

Pierce offered the audience an opportunity be part of the solution, not the problem. He called for everyone to be a change agent like King.

That change, according to Pierce, starts in the school system.

“I know everyone has heard about the fierce urgency of now, “Pierce said, “and in order to make sure Dr. King’s dream remains a reailty, we need to have a fierce urgency of now when it comes to our school system , make sure all of our kids achieve and have a possibility to go to school.”

“I hope my son is able to achieve heights in education that I never had and I think we all want that for the generations that follow us. Today, while things aren’t perfect, I can tell my toddler son he can be anything he wants to be when he grows up, even president.”

JBLM’s observance for King marked the 25th anniversary of his birthday becoming a federal holiday. King’s birthday is actually Jan. 15, but President George H.W. Bush proclaimed the third Monday in January as the official federal holiday in 1992. For this year’s proclamation dedicating Monday as a federal holiday for King, Obama challenged Americans to honor his life by using his birthday as a national day of service.

“By dedicating this day to service, we move our nation closer to Dr. King’s vision of all Americans living and working together as one beloved community,” Obama wrote.

Event organizer Sgt. 1st Class Roy Fields, 17th Fires Brigade, was disappointed that the snow reduced turnout and diminished what he sees as one of the more important holidays the military celebrates through observance.

“There are always more things that can be done, not just for my race, but for different genders,” Fields said. “I ask the question, ‘Where would we be at if Dr. King (hadn’t existed)?’”