Warriors celebrate MLK day on Casey

By Jim Cunningham (IMCOM - Korea)January 26, 2009

Remembering King
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

CASEY GARRISON - Soldiers, Civilians and Family members gathered Jan. 9 in the USAG-Casey Warrior's Club to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day and heard a rousing rendition of his "I Have A Dream" speech, delivered by Nate Green, USAG-Casey Community Activity Center director.

Spectators were treated to a lot more than the speech; however, when Gloria Prince, Alcohol and Drug Control Office education specialist, read a poem, "Ain't I A Woman," by American slave, abolitionist, and women's rights activist Sojourner Truth (self-given name of Isabella Baumfree, 1797-1883).

Keynote speaker, Chaplain (Capt.) Tony Hampton, Chaplain 4-7 Cavalry, continued, in the same spirit as King, in delivering his message. "I hasten to say how humble and honored I feel to have been asked to speak before you on such an auspicious day as this," Hampton said. "It would be against everything this nation stands for if we let what is transpiring in our nation cause the dream of Martin Luther King Jr. to die. Because of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. we have been able to carve through the stratosphere of human kind's justice, peace and love and outdistanced hatred, injustice and racial inequality."

The only thing everyone seems to remember about Dr. King is he was a dreamer, Hampton went on to say. "Martin Luther King Jr., at the time of his death, was at a low point of popularity," Hampton said. "Few universities wanted to publish him or wanted to hear from him during commencement exercises. No American publisher wanted to publish a book written by him. He was even being questioned by his own people about the relevance of his nonviolent approach. He was fighting with members of his organizations about his war in Vietnam speech."

The notion Dr. King was widely praised is one of nostalgia and amnesia, Hampton continued. It was Dr. King who said, "If a man will not stand for something, he will fall for anything."

"Doctor King urged America to rid itself of every aspect of segregation," Hampton said. "He urged American leaders to stop using the words in the halls that ring with the sound of nullification and interposition."

King urged leaders to stand noble and for democracy against all enemies foreign and domestic, Hampton explained. "As we celebrate this holiday, it is evident the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. continues," he said. "Rosa Parks sat so Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. could march. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. marched so Barack Obama could run. Barack Obama ran and won so our children and grandchildren can live out their dreams."

The event was sponsored and supported in part by 210th Fires Brigade Equal Opportunity Office, 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team EO, 2nd Infantry Division Band, Warrior's Club, LG Telecom, AAFES New Car Sales, Casey Commissary, and Soldiers, Civilians and Family Members, said Sally Hall, USAG-Casey Community Activity Center manager.