America urged to stand against racism, nationalism
Pastors and politicians call for equality and unity during MLK Jr. event in Albuquerque
Championing the “power of not being afraid,” the guest speaker at the 22nd annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Breakfast in Albuquerque challenged the 500-plus people present and the country at large to stay strong, united and vocal in the face of ugly and divisive rhetoric.
“Racism, nationalism, bigotry are sadly standing before us,” said the Rev. Dr. R.B.
Holmes, pastor of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Tallahassee, Fla. “We thought they were our past. These are dark times in our country.” He said America’s people need to recommit to King’s dreams of equality for all people.
Holmes never mentioned President Donald Trump by name during his talk at the Marriott Pyramid North. But offensive remarks attributed to Trump set the tone for the addresses at Monday’s breakfast, hosted by Albuquerque’s Grant Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church.
During a meeting about an immigration plan last week, the president is reported to have referred to parts of Africa as “shithole countries” and to have made derogatory comments about the people of Haiti and Central America. He denies that, and two Republican senators support his contention.
Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., a guest at the breakfast, recalled King’s statement that a man dies when he refuses to stand up for what is right.
“And that is why we must stand up when anyone — especially the president of the United States — uses racist or derogatory remarks, implies that some people have more value than others, or preaches that some groups deserve better treatment because of their racial or ethnic heritage,” Udall said. “We must make it clear that we will not tolerate racism and that we will not accept hate.”
Holmes said this is a time for moral courage. He noted that King, the civil rights leader assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, beat back his fear in his quest for justice. He said King journeyed to Memphis to support black city sanitary employees on strike for higher pay and better treatment even though he was aware of threats on his life.
“Dr. King said the hottest place in hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict,” Holmes said. “How do you respond when people want to kill your dreams, kill your future, your children? When they want to marginalize you, call you the S word, the N word, call you white trash.”
Holmes offered this response from Luke 13: 31-33, in which Jesus, warned that King Herod wanted to kill him, says, “Go tell that fox, I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.”
In the closest he came to calling out the president, Holmes noted that foxes have red-brown hair, an apparent allusion to the president’s colorful mane.
“Go tell that fox, go tell that racist,” Holmes said. “We must tell these foxes, ‘Let your people be free.’ ”
Pamelya Herndon, executive director of the Southwest Women’s Law Center, was mistress of ceremonies at the breakfast. The Rev. Donna Maria Davis, pastor of Grant Chapel AME Church, introduced Holmes and made the closing remarks. The Rev. David E. Walker, pastor of Albuquerque’s Antioch Baptist Church, offered the opening and closing prayers.
Several other public officials attended the breakfast and made comments.
Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, D-N.M., asked, “What are we going to do in the current climate of this nation to realize Dr. King’s dream?” She said we have to stand up to every injustice, including the Trump administration’s possible deportation of hundreds of thousands of Dreamers, undocumented immigrants who were brought into this country as children.
Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., said the American people should honor King’s beliefs by following the peaceful path he blazed.
“He had reason to be angry, but he chose the harder path of reconciliation,” Pearce said. “It only works if you do it every day.”
Noting that he was born three years after King’s assassination, Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., said incidents such as the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., in August make him realize that King’s work is not done.
Heinrich said he believes that what the country does in the coming year will determine whether the United States moves forward to realizing King’s dream for all America’s children.
Recently elected Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller reminded the audience that former President Barack Obama said there is far more that unites us than divides us.
“A city needs each and every one of us to stand up to racism, division and hate,” the mayor said.
But it was Holmes who brought the thunder. He slammed racial and ethnic stereotyping and efforts to hold people back because of the color of their skin.
“Go tell the fox we are going to be the head and not the tail,” he said. “We shall overcome. We have come this far.”