The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, January 19, 1987, Page 14, Image 14
Viewpoint *
14
Sad state
South Carolina officially dishonors
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. today
Today is the federal holiday honoring slain civil right's
leader Dr. Martin Luther Kinc Jr. Kine becan his rise tn in
ternational prominence when he emerged during the Montgomery
bus boycott of 1955-56. That event signaled the
true beginning of the civil right's movement just as his horrible
murder symbolically heralded the end.
In remembrance of Dr. King all federal offices in the nation
will be closed today. Meanwhile, several states will
have their own holidays today out of respect and admiraton
of King's life and his pioneering efforts in the battle
for civil rights.
But South Carolina isn't one of these states.
South Carolina's refusal to officially recognize King is
an unwarranted slap in the face to every black in this state
and in this nation. South Carolina should realize this holiday
is for a man and not just a black man.
A majority of this nation has finally realized King was a
man with dignitv and love, and a man with resnect for all
races. Now, despite the objections of President Ronald
Reagan and his racist cronies such as Jesse Helms, the third
week of January is set aside to commemorate this
American icon.
But, some of us are still living in the past. A past that is
filled with racial hatred, discrimination and misunderstanding.
As much as South Carolina has progressed, it still clings
to a dark time in its history when one race was used as
a scapegoat by another.
Last week Gov. Carroll Campbell spoke in his inaugural
address about South Carolina's "goodly heritage" and the
"unlimited opportunity" that has existed in the state for
over 300 years. He failed to mention aspects of our
heritage that could hardly be interpreted as "goodly."
Secession from the Union, civil war and a once-flourishine
slave trade were conveniently missing from his flowing
rhetoric as were more recent injustices such as the Jim
Crow laws and racial segregation.
The state is masking its indifference to King by offering
his holiday as a "floating holiday." This means a state
worker could possibly choose between King's holiday,
their birthday, Robert E. Lee's birthday, Jefferson Davis's
birthday, or Confederate Memorial Day. As magnanimous
as that may sound, it is extremely insulting and ridiculous.
South Carolina should proclaim an official state holiday,
if not for the man, then out of respect for generations
of black Americans and black South Carolinians who have
endured oppression, hatred and racism and view King as a
symbol and leader in the fight for racial equality.
When this happens, South Carolina can rightly and proudly
boast of its "goodly heritage."
From Selma to Chicago and from Atlanta to L.A. peo1
11 . _ A 1 * . ? 1 *- ? T/ ' 1*71 a
pie win gainer louay 10 pay noinage 10 fving. wnai reason
could South Carolina possibly have for not officially
celebrating King's holiday too? There is no good reason
for that, but there is every reason to pay tribute to him
today.
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I Write us a letter
leu us wnui s uii youi uniiu. inciters must i nerc is a inuii t?i
be typed, double-spaced and no more than the same writer.
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are a student, USC staff member, or com- Gamecock, Drawer
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?
jjjpBly
Non-smoker stai
Freedom is what Martin Luther King spoke
of in Washington, D.C. ? freedom to live
and freedom to choose.
Even before King, Americans of all races B
and religions wanted freedom. But how many
were willing to sacrifice their personal
preferences for the rights of others? Too
often free men forget that the brotherhood """
rung spoKe 01 means mumai snaring ana caring
about others.
When smokers light-up near pregnant C;
women, epileptics, young children and people gs
with respiratory problems, they are selfishly m
infringing on the freedom of others. is*
King was a leader, someone who stood up
to the system and made a difference for his ed
fellow men. Another leader, not so renowned, he
was the local schoolteacher who questioned is<
smoking in Carolina Coliseum. p<
Both men spoke the words many felt, but
few had the courage to voice. th
When Tim Johnson of Columbia stood sr
up to three inconsiderate smokers at the aj
King gets attenti
Once again the time has come for p"
Americans to give formal praise and honor to
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a man who unquestionably
strengthened America with his
philosophy and activism.
The impact of King's contributions to the
development and betterment of America are j
immeasurable and eternal. Therefore, as
Americans, we should continually bestow as
much commemoration upon King as possible.
After more than 15 years of lobbying by
King's widow and others, King's birthday was
finally approved as a national holiday in de
1985. pa
What took our government so long? sp
The Civil Right's Era ? known for its lyn- da
chings, bombings, segregation and ly
discrimination ? was a crucial period in cc
I America. Ii was a period when millions gave
up their lives and their fortunes to make th
America a place of democracy. he
Emerging during the Civil Right's Era was ti<
/Ml/1 An Ko /~\ f Q r
j a iiiuvv,iiiv,ii i ua?-j^u kj 11 inv puiiuoupiij \j i wi , ?
Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most pro- cc
minent religious leaders America has yet
produced. bj
King was many things to the Civil Rights hi
Movement: advocate, field general, fund es
raiser, orator and symbol. He reached more si;
blacks, more Americans and more citizens of ec
the world than any other U.S. reform leader
in this century. h<
Because of Dr. King's impact on American th
I M ~
ne s |iuiuny yun
Ronnie baby, what happened!? You were z
once second only to God. If you can get v
yourself out of this Iranian mess you will be li
God. But, I don't want people to think I'm C
picking on poor oP Ronnie when he's down t
and in his time of need, 'cause I've never liked
him much anyway. d
But it looks as it you've cashed your check,
Ron. The banshee is outside your window t
Ronnie and the jackals are nipping at your r
heels. There have even been reports of buz- s
IPTheT?
Kditor in Chief >
two letters per month by Roni Bea Kayne I
Managing Kditor I
lit to stop printing letters Amy I)elPo \
to make room for new |
... ,. nr,, AMlntant Copy <
wpoint hdltor, 7he Desk Chief I
A, Russell House, USC, Mona Peloquin ;
08. News Kditor /
I'aula Wethington J
I
lids up for right
Hb<
sc
ai
is
arolina/Clemson closed-circuit football h<
ime in November, he spoke for the silent e>
ajority and changed the 17-year-old col:um
smoking policy. sn
He complained to the police. He complain- In
I to the fire marshall. And finally, he was
:ard. Smoking is now prohibited in the col- sc
ium arena, setting the stage for further ?
)licy re-evaluations. b(
For years, non-smokers have been noticing
ie health problems associated with the sii
noke from another's cigarette but were too di
jathetic to question the status quo. Now, ce
nn uoarc lofnr 4
UII yuuia mici i
"? CC
Guest I
editorial 5
a
By Samuel Starks dl
J w
L
,... i, n.rfl . n
mocracy, King holiday-supporters camtigned
with demonstrations, marches, and o
eeches to make his birthday a national holi- f<
i , . t . i .
ly. i nis nonor was previously granted 10 on- u
one American citizen ? the father of our ti
untry, President George Washington. p
For Mrs. King and the others, lobbying for
e King holiday was no easy task. King a
)liday-supporters had to deal with opposi- B
)n from people like Sen. Jesse Helms, who t<
gued that another national holiday would ?
>st America billions of dollars. s<
This argument, I found, was best rebutted tl
f Sen. Robert Dole who suggested Helms i<
jrry back to his pocket calculator and s
timate the cost of more than 300 years of s
avery, followed by a century or more of tl
:onomic, political, and social exclusion.
Helms, in his arguments against the King n
jliday, was grasping at straws. He even had h
le audacity to imply King may have been a d
zo on the Gippe
ards circling the White House filling the air v
zith stink and death. There's "fear and s
oathing" in the White House and even the
jreat Communicator is having trouble get- F
ing through to a once gullible nation. g
It just proves its tough to be president these h
I A I _ I.' -1 V f .1 J
lays; jusi asK jimoo notaerman. r
Yeah, Ronnie was riding high for a long t
ime, until mean, old Mr. Reality struck. I s
nust confess it makes me feel good. But,
trangely enough, there's a part of me that
amecock
tsslitant News Editors Sport* Editor
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eature* Editor Thomas Humphrey
famara Willis Staff Artist
Assistant Features Editor Robb Lane
Patrick Jean
f
ts to clean air
:ause a few citizens stood up to the system,
nething is being done to designate areas for
okers in public places.
Non-smokers recognize the health risks of
:ond-hand smoke. The smokers, however,
: blinded by their own smoke. They say it
heir right to smoke. True. But it is also the
ht of non-smokers to be able to breathe <f
an air. ;
The U.S. surgeon general recently detailed
w children can develop lung cancer from
aosure to their parent's smoking habit.
Maybe now the impact of second-hand
oke will hit home. We are endangering the
es of children, our future leaders.
King wanted Americans to be proud. Is that
much different from what we want today
a clean, unpolluted environment for all to
proud of?
All it takes is a little mutual caring and conleration
when smoking. Maybe it's a
:am. But King taught us we have the
^ability to make those dreams come true.
han deserved
mmunist, an accusation that has no valid
dence.
There were other opposing arguments for
; King holiday. Some of them more ranal,
but none of them more valid than i 'J
)le's. Several senators and historians asked
lether King should be put in the same
tegory as the nation's first president and the
.coverer of America. Others implied there '
:re other great Americans, such as Abraham
ncoln and Thomas Jefferson, who were
are deserving of the honor.
Is King in the same category as Washington )
Columbus? Yes, because Dr. King brought
rth the vision Washington and the founding
thers had for our country. Having touched
e conscience of our nation with a snirit r?f
ace, he has given us a better country today. ;
In honoring King, we do not diminish the
complishments of Lincoln and Jefferson. \ ^
;cause what King accomplished was an ex- ;
nsion of what they stood for. In our I;
eclaration of Independence, Thomas Jeffer- >
n said all men are created equal. King was
e most significant modern exponent of this I
ea. What Washington, Lincoln, and Jeffer?n
conceived, King took the first significant *
eps toward making a reality. But sadly, one
at is not complete even today.
The King holiday, symbolizing a commit- I
eni 01 an Americans 10 racial equality, is a *
)liday that was long overdue to a man much *
:serving of commemoration. t
' 1
r, with a smile i
ants Ronnie to do well, even though 1 can't !
and him.
But all the blame doesn't belong to him.
is scurvy, sneaky little aides duped him
>od. Yet, its all academic now. Ronnie will
ive to make a grandstand play soon to
deem himself. Maybe he could invade a lite
country, or do an exercise video, or
>mething.
Yeah, Jimmy Carter never looked so good.
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