The day commemorating the birth of Martin Luther King, Jr. began Monday with the annual parade in Fayetteville and concluded with the birthday celebration at Sams Auditorium. The featured speaker at the event was Rev. BaSean Jackson of Fayetteville’s Fellowship of Love Church. The theme of this year’s event was “Affirming America’s Promise … Justice for All.”
The annual MLK Day parade held to its customary course, beginning at Fayette County High School and extending along Hood Avenue, onto North Glynn Street and through downtown and back to the high school. As in previous years, brisk temperatures could not forestall the large number of parade entries or those lining the streets to watch the festivities.
The annual event made its way to Sams Auditorium where a packed house heard the comments of Rev. BaSean Jackson.
Jackson’s words issued what he called an imperative to “Do it big.”
“We have a tendency on MLK Day of making him smaller than he was,” Jackson said, noting that people have adopted the habit of “deodorizing” KIng with a couple of quotes or a few comments. “The celebration becomes watered-down when we take the politics out.”
Citing an example of his remark, Jackson said that if the blood that was shed in the political struggle of the American Revolution were to be removed the only thing that would remain would be the celebratory fireworks.
“So we can’t forget Martin Luther King’s struggles and efforts,” Jackson said. “So here today we have a false sense of entitlement, the things we live with that other people died for.”
Jackson said “doing it big” also involves dreaming “big.” But those dreams cannot be accomplished by sitting at home watching reality television or sports programs, he said.
“The masses at home are not dreaming. You have to dream big and think big. We’re taught to think small,” Jackson said, citing numerous examples to the delight of the packed house at Sams Auditorium. “Non-violence is not about not fighting, but about how to fight. King used non-violence to pick a fight with the most powerful country on Earth.”
The birthday celebration also saw musical selections by the Higher Ground Praise Team from the Fellowship of Love Church. And the day included a performance by gospel artist Russell Williams and award presentations to third and fifth grade essay winners, an elementary school attendance award, parade awards, MLK Academic Achievement awards and the Athletic Excellence High School Award.
