The Chiefs and
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Weekend
Laddie Morse
Sometimes we get so focused on a game coming up that we forget to take some time away to appreciate the world around us. In this case, I’m referring to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. There’s a nice article over at the mothership, KCChiefs.com called, “Chiefs Host Martin Luther King Jr. Discussion Ahead of National Holiday” by Pete Sweeney, in which he shares about ex-Chief Shawn Barber’s visit to Stony Point North Elementary at the Arrowhead Stadium Sports Lab this past Tuesday and his experience with 25 fifth graders there. With the help of others, Barber led a discussion about what it means to be a civil right activist as well as remembering the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I imagine there aren’t many of us who do have actual memories of the man. With each passing year I’m more and more convinced that he is being forgotten. But I will not forget.
I was a child of the 1950s then grew up as a teen in the 1960s. What a time to be a teenager! The music was out of this world and represented the beginning of sounds that crossed the cultural divides. I grew up in a community 30 miles east of L.A. in a town called Claremont where — and to this day it’s true — they allowed no billboards. The town also housed 7 colleges and was such a cross section of so many different cultures that I really didn’t experience the weight and gravity of the issues that still grip our nation today. I recall thinking that there was no prejudice or bias as a teen… or that the news stories were just isolated incidences. Wow, was I ever shielded from what was happening in the real world.
I hope people will not forget the name of Medgar Evers as well. From Biography.com,
“Medgar Evers was a civil rights activist who organized voter-registration efforts, demonstrations and boycotts of companies that practiced discrimination.”
Because of Evers involvement with the NAACP he was shot in the back and killed in the driveway of his own home with his family present in June of 1963. Five years later I would find myself running on the same Track Team with Medgar Ever’s son, Darrell Evers. I recall winning a Medal in a 4X4 Mile Relay and both Darrell and I sat on the bus next to each other on the way home and marveled at our medals together. I didn’t find out until later that week who he was. I just remember him being so kind, soft spoken and gracious.
Years later, when I went to work for the Kansas City Missouri School District teaching inner-city kids, I remember thinking, “I don’t see color” and even said so once to the Grandfather of one of my students. I recall him getting so upset with me saying, “You better see color.” I was so hurt at the time, thinking, “I love your child and love teaching your child, why do you think this way?”
It’s taken some time but, now I think I understand why we should all be a little more honest with ourselves: because we all see color. Or else — as Trevor Noah asked on “The Daily Show” — “What do you do at stop lights?”
I was once reading a collection of some of Dr. Martin Luther King Junior’s writing and came across a quote of his that was life-affirming. Perhaps even life-changing. For a kid who grew up with dyslexia — before they even had the term dyslexia — I felt that I was different than everyone else… and not in a good way… but, finally reading this quote by King, was a bit of magic… and still is.
“Human salvation is dependent upon the creatively maladjusted.”
It has been an honor to live in the age of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. As far as this weekend goes for the Kansas City Chiefs, my hope is that we will stop and remember… the man who once said great things like,
I also hope we’ll remember that his life was so much more than quotes. As Shawn Barber said after his event with the kids,
“Using this platform as a former NFL player, myself and Julian as a former cheerleader, I think it showed the kids definitely that the Chiefs organization and the Kansas City Chiefs association all care about the remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King, especially not only on his day, his holiday, but also throughout the year.”
Long live the King… in our hearts and minds..
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