Column
Civil Rights Not The Topic Of MLK Day in Boise, Idaho
I saw nothing today that could have influenced anyone besides those already singing in the choir.By Jill Kuraitis, 1-18-10
Boise Rep. Brian Cronin talks to community college students about education equality after the ICAN rally.
On this federal holiday called Martin Luther King Day, equal and civil rights took a backstage pass in Boise, Idaho.
On the eastern steps of the Statehouse, about 250 members and supporters of an immigrants’ rights group, Idaho Community Action Network, held a rally and press conference to announce a new report about inequality and the problems of the poor. They listened to Boise Rep. Brian Cronin talk about the difficulties they’ll face this year getting attention from a state legislature preoccupied with budget issues.
On the front steps, about 350 members of various ultra-conservative groups came together for a rally with speeches from legislators, religious leaders, and Republican candidates for office. No printed materials or speeches were distributed. It was impossible to define who organized, hosted, or sponsored the rally, but it seemed to be under the umbrella of the Sovereign Idaho Coalition. Some people identified themselves as from Tea Party Organizations, a few from ResistNet; others were from various campaign organizations.
Marvin “Chick” Heileson, Constitutionalist Candidate for Congress Dist. 2 spoke, and six sitting legislators attended and/or spoke:
• Rep. Raúl R. Labrador (Dist. 14) who is running for the Republican nomination for Congress, District 1.
• Rep. Lynn M. Luker (Dist. 15)
• Rep. Pete Nielsen (Dist. 22)
• Rep. Phil Hart (Dist. 3)
• Rep. Lenore Hardy Barrett (Dist. 35)
• Rep. R. J. “Dick” Harwood (Dist. 2)
Most of the topics were federal, ranging from the using a gold standard to eliminating all gun control to curbing immigration to questioning how the Constitution is applied to private property rights to tax policy to the health care bill now in Congress. There were no speeches about helping children, the elderly, the poor, or the suffering. There was no reference to Martin Luther King Day being a celebration of civil rights. The only consistent message was about blaming the government for what this group feels is personal injustice, especially unchecked spending of taxes and the expansion of government.
The people were white, there were few children, and several signs, directed at federal officials and lawmakers, were obscene.
________________________________
At Boise City Hall, more than 500 people gathered for the traditional Martin Luther King Day rally and celebration sponsored by the Human Rights Commission. The crowd was especially loud, but the mood wasn’t celebratory.
State Senator Nicole LeFavour spoke about how sad this MLK day feels to her.
Afterward, the group marched to the Statehouse, up the front steps, just as the Tea Party-ish group was leaving. It was a peaceful transition, although members of both groups murmured nervously as the crossover was made. The marchers from City Hall and others supportive of celebrating MLK Day joined Governor Otter and First Lady Lori Otter in the rotunda for a ceremony. It was the biggest gathering of the day, with about 600 people looking over the proceedings. including many families with children, on three levels of the rotunda. An Indian drumming opened the event, presentations were made, and Gov. Otter proclaimed it MLK Day.
The mood was neutral, the people were Indian, Hispanic-American, African-American, Asian-American, and white, and the signs were kind and hopeful.
A prayer at the TeaParty rally ended with a specially emphasized “In Jesus’ name, Amen” which drew applause.
But any Christian message of the Tea Partiers was lost on Whitney Rearick, who said, “I know a different Jesus, who was all about the poor and forgotten.”
Sen. LeFavour said, “But today in Idaho I fear the collective light of the Dream has suffered in the bitter months of this winter… sadly here we face the chilling anger of people at computers and town halls desperate to place blame as they stagger too under the weight of profound economic injustice. We face the chill of Governor Otter’s proposals to eliminate, to phase out, the few agencies of the state charged with advancing human rights for Latinos, for people with disabilities, the deaf and the blind…he rejects the very entities charged with advancing equality and justice for those denied it for so long.”
Anthony Adams, a student at Homedale High School, attended the Tea Party event. He said, “I’m here because I love America and to petition the health care that’s now planned to be passed…I don’t believe that abortion should be paid for by the government and I don’t think that it is right for elderly people and kids to be decided if they are expandable or not.”
On the other side of the street, Dylan Pierce, student at Timberline High School, responded, “I’m here to protest their lack of logic and the hyperbolic way they distort information to try and influence the ignorant. I don’t want this in my city.”
It’s been a struggle to write this disjointed account of a disjointed day.
I saw nothing today that advanced the cause of equality and justice. I saw nothing today that could have influenced anyone besides those already singing in the choir. I saw hypocrisy, anger, and loss.
Martin Luther King Day in Boise, Idaho.
.
Like this story? Get more! Sign up for our free newsletters.
Comments
Add your comment below
-----------
marqthompson
<a >vancouver flowers</a>
vancouver flowers
That timid, tentative, dismissal of censorship is the first time Sr. Garcia has ever posted anything I agree with.
Censorship serves no positive purpose ever!
We remember this and do not spend any time or money there.
If it's nazis you want it's nazis you'll get.
Just remember that Butler lost the farm and the name to the gal they threatened.
Just remember to always carry concealed while traveling through this intellectually impoverished state.
A long time ago, when I was preparing to graduate high school and was looking forward to college, people referred to my generation -- those smashed between Gen X and Y and the baby boomers -- as the "me" generation. Our parents did a great deal to advance civil rights, so many of us felt the work was accomplished. Our parents sacrificed both for home and country, which led many of us, even those from less affluent families, to consider ourselves privileged.
When I have visited the angry rallies of 2009 -- now spilling into 2010 -- I am concerned, but not necessarily surprised to see the bulk of those in attendance are my peers, products of the "me" generation.
Here in Iowa, as you might have heard, we are having a little rift over same-sex marriage. The state Supreme Court tossed out legislation that banned such marriages as discriminatory, and there are some on the ground now screaming about activists judges and the loss of all things sacred. While no one really likes all the shouting and jockeying for political position, my daughter and her peers are the ones who find it most confusing and (her word) insane.
Perhaps by watching my generation, and the products of our selfishness, the pendulum has begun to swing again in favor of compassion, thoughtfulness, understanding and patience.
At least, that is what I hold in my heart during those times when I feel that society is missing a much larger point about our lives on this planet.
Mickey garcia actaully said something that made sense and was the truth.
Wow.
Your statement "I saw nothing today that could have influenced anyone besides those already singing in the choir." makes no sense.
I am at a loss with what you see. There were black people in the crowd at the tea part event. There were a number of children. My son is Anthony Adams in this story. The tea party movement is not just a white person happening. There were a lot of events that went on this day at the capitol building. It was the first day for the legislative session. That is why the tea party took place on this day, to remind them that we are watching and do not run away government. I am tired of people calling us racist. I do not have to qualify to anyone what my background is or who my friends are. I am tired of run away government. My son, who is a high school student would like to have a future with limited government. Why is this so hard for anyone to understand?
<a >Vancouver Flowers</a>