Embrace Martin Luther King’s ideals - says Clement Rohee

Embrace Martin Luther King’s ideals – says Clement Rohee

Jan 19, 2010 News

Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee, who is performing the duties of President, urged a gathering at the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) Assembly Hall, yesterday, to embrace the ideals of Dr Martin Luther King Jr.
Rohee was at the time speaking at a symposium to observe Martin Luther King Day here in Guyana.

A section of the gathering at the public symposium, to mark Dr Martin Luther King Jr day at City Hall yesterday

In a lengthy presentation, Rohee said that it is proper for citizens to speak out and rebel when they are dissatisfied since such is the hallmark of a functioning democracy to which he described Guyana. However, he was adamant that such should be done without violence and without the country suffering.
He said that King was assertive and savvy and although he stood up for what he believed in, the rights of the African minority of America at that time, he always encouraged peaceful disobedience.
Rohee reflected on what he called the most powerful speech that has ever been delivered, the ‘I had a dream speech’ that was delivered by Dr King after a historic march in Washington that saw both black and white rallying for one cause at that time.
He also spoke about the barriers that King crossed at the time, in light of widespread marginalisation and discrimination against blacks at that time.
Rohee said that although King was a priest he was able to deliver political messages to his followers, one of the many qualities that distinguished an extraordinary individual.
It was also pointed out that the civil rights activist came from the middle class and he could have chosen a different cause but he saw the needs of the oppressed and the underprivileged and fought to change that.
Because King stood up for what he believed in, he was put at risk and many attempts were made on his life before he finally paid the ultimate price, death. Rhetorically, Rohee asked if Guyana does not deserve such visionary leaders.
However, he said while the majority of Guyanese desire peace and justice a few among us are bent on sowing seeds of discord.
Also speaking at the symposium was Bishop Juan Edghill, who said that persons should understand that meekness is not weakness, but a demonstration of strength under control. Edghill was referring to one of the many qualities that King possessed.
He said that although he was imprisoned many times, King never advocated violence but he stuck to the ideals of a non-violent revolution against injustice meted out to African Americans at the time.
Bishop Edghill said that King saw an America that embraced blacks and whites living and working together. King even spoke about a time when that country would have been lead by an African person.
Edghill said the current leadership of the United States of America bears testimony to that.
It was also noted that for the many first thing that King accomplished, was being the first African person to win a Nobel Peace Prize, which he won in 1957 for his sterling work in the civil rights movement.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, but he never deviated from what he believed in Edghill said.