Americans urged to embrace nation’s diversity

‘Got compassion’  Got cooperation’  Got an open mind”

Reflections on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s call to humanity resonated through the Memorial Chapel Monday night as students, faculty, and members of the community gathered for an evening program celebrating the life of the civil rights leader.

The program culminated in a speech by Robert Franklin, presidential distinguished professor of social ethics at Emory University and a senior fellow at the Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Religion at Emory’s Law School.

Franklin also is a close friend of Colgate President Rebecca Chopp, who introduced the speaker.

Franklin began his address, ‘Dr. King’s Call, Our Response,’ with a personal anecdote. He said his daughter, after asking Franklin repeatedly for new glasses in addition to new contact lenses, became exasperated with her father’s response of, ‘Well, do you need it”

‘Dad,’ Franklin said, imitating her.  ‘You just don’t get it.’

Franklin directed the phrase at the American public, asking what America doesn’t ‘get’ about King’s desire for equality.

‘We have a need for an interdependent global ethic. Not ‘getting it’ is a crisis of the moral will,’ he said.

He said one of the key issues King raised was that all of humanity is interrelated.  Understanding the relationships between people and races, as well as humanity’s relation to the past, is crucial if we want to carry out King’s dream of equality.

The challenge he posed to the audience, and the one that he says faces America, is that its citizens must ’embrace the responsibility of living in a diverse community.’

King’s call to American citizens in the 1960s targeted three goals: to eliminate racism and foster better inter-group relations; to eliminate poverty; and to promote peace and nonviolence as a way of life, not just as a political tactic.

Franklin asked the audience what Americans have done to assuage these issues in the past four decades.  He challenged the audience to see if they had the tools necessary to achieve King’s vision.

‘Got compassion’  Got cooperation’  Got an open mind’  Can you forgive’  Have you got it” he said.

Earlier in the evening program, nine Hamilton Central School students who won an essay contest entitled ‘Letters to Martin Luther King’ read their letters, many of which thanked and lauded King for his message.

Also Monday, several faculty-led workshops were held, exploring various topics focusing on King’s legacy. At noon, a student production featuring poetry and dance was presented at the O’Connor Campus Center.

The events were organized by Colgate’s ALANA Cultural Center, which serves as a learning center and focal point where Colgate students, faculty can discuss and learn about issues related to diversity and multiculturalism.