Editor,
In 2008, I was an assistant football coach at a private high school in San Jose. Karriem Stinson, an African American, was our head coach. He was strict with the boys when he had to be and he would nurture a struggling player when that was the thing to do. The coaches enjoyed being around Karriem. He had a collaborative leadership style but you always knew who was in charge.
Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2008 ... the day after Barack Obama was elected. I arrived at practice early; Karriem was already there. I walked up to Karriem and he half turned away. Then he turned toward me ... tears in his eyes. I knew immediately why. Karriem said softly that he never thought he would see a Black man elected president during his lifetime. It was a solemn and powerful moment. We didn’t say anything for a while. Then Karriem and I started to get ready for practice.
There is a line that runs through Dr. Martin Luther King’s accomplishments and today. Yes, things are better but so much work is yet to be done and remembering the lessons of Dr. King can help that work immensely. To the extremists on the left and right ... let’s try some nonviolent protests. Let’s try love. A Black man was not elected president in Dr. King’s lifetime, but it happened during ours ... and there is so much work yet to be done.
Ray Fowler
Redwood City
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(18) comments
Thanks, Ray, for a timely reminder! Let’s also remember that both MLK and President Obama received a well-deserved Nobel Peace Prize.
Leave it to Jorg to insult MLK's legacy by comparing his well-deserved Nobel Peace prize with the preposterous award to Obama who had not done zilch to deserve it. It rendered that Nobel prize a farce ever since.
Dirk: You haven’t read the NPP statutes and the Committee’s reasoning, have you? So, how can you pass a judgement without knowing what you are talking about?
Jorg - please explain how Obama qualified for having accomplished none of these at the start of his administration: The Peace Prize was to be awarded to the person who had done most for "fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses". In fact he violated every minimum requirement during his highly controversial 8 years and should have returned the honor.
Dirk: OK, that’s your opinion, but a more important position was the one the Nobel Committee took, namely that a black US President was a significant break with old traditions that had held this country back for so long and led to so much suffering. Obama’s election to the highest office in the world was a breakthrough and a promise for a better, more equal world, further emphasized through the speech made for the award ceremony. The Committee looked ahead towards a better, more peaceful world for all, whether you like it, or not. And remember, this was the expressed Norwegian attitude, and in line with Alfred Nobel himself, not yours. Btw.: Have you read any of Obama’s books? And don’t forget, President Obama himself was humbled and didn’t feel he deserved the prize! The Committee knew better, I think.
Wow, a beautiful sentiment Ray. I can definitely identify with the shock of seeing an otherwise Redwood Tree sort of a figure suddenly showing that amount of emotion.
Hey are you now on the Journal staff? Ha, That's a double header you have there. Good ones, thanks
Thanks, Mike
No... not on the DJ's staff. While I enjoy writing my thoughts down, when it comes to writing skills... I'm just a hack. I don't measure up to the staff's standards.
Yeah, Karriem is the real deal when it comes to coaching and mentoring kids. The school administration decided to send the program in a different direction and they let him go. The AD asked me to remain on the coaching staff, but I declined. Like I said... Karriem was my friend and loyalty to him was more important than coaching.
Ray,
Thanks for a realistic review of things that have been and can be. Two sayings come to mind. Hope springs eternal and things are easier said than done. Let's hope we can move forward in the spirit of MLK.
Thanks Ray for a timely LTE. Many African Americans shed a collective tear as you wrote.
One was Willie Mays as he rode on Air Force 1 with President Obama.
I look forward to your next LTE or Guest Perspective. They are always a cut above and your writings produce well thought out responses. I'm tired of the nonsensical vitriol tossed around here by those who refuse to compromise and cooperate for a higher goal.
Well done Ray 😃🌎😃
Thanks, Mike... stay dry
Well written, JustMike650. I also look forward to Ray’s next written pieces. I’m also tired of nonsensical vitriol tossed around here by those who refuse to compromise and cooperate for a higher goal. Can you do all of us a favor and get them to stop? And maybe put an end to all this “orange man bad” correspondence which contains easily debunked assertions? I’d say those folks prefer division to unity. I know, a tall order, but hope springs eternal, as our friend Taffy stated below.
TY
Other than cut and paste I was referring to what you 'just did ' 😂
JustMike650 – sounds more like you’re referring to your nonsensical comment. You're refusing to cooperate in answering a few simple questions so are you not in favor of attaining a higher goal?
Unity always vs division. Cooperation and meet in the middle works for us all.
Compromise TY, Compromise.
Thanks for your letter, Mr. Fowler. Speaking of “so much work yet to be done” there’s an interesting article (https://californiaglobe.com/articles/martin-luther-king-would-be-disappointed-with-californias-failing-schools/) from Gloria Romero, a former Democrat Majority Leader of the California State Senate that segues from MLK inspiring us to dream to how the dream of a decent education in California is failing. Ms. Romero is correct in saying that public education needs not only change, but a complete overhaul. Remember, this is coming from a Democrat.
One huge unexpected add on to Ray Fowlers contribution was when I picked up the hard copy for keeping, Ray's LTE was the only one in that days paper, thus I did not have to lay my eyes on several of TY's thoughtless efforts to use Ray's great article for his own, to quote him, nonsensical gain.
Happy MLK day. MLK was a tremendous baseball fan and friend of
Jackie Robinson. Spring training is right around the corner. 👍😁👍
JustMike650, I’m not sure if you realize this in your knee-jerk rush to launch a personal attack but hard copies of the paper don’t print any comments. But I agree, Happy MLK day. Let’s not forget that history shows the Republican Party is the party of civil rights. Now why didn’t Democrats want to compromise and cooperate for a higher goal? It doesn’t appear much has changed.
Speaking of nonsensical vitriol, how about Biden’s remarks at the National Action Network MLK Day breakfast? I hear the poor America Last guy is still trying to threaten right-wing Americans with F-15’s. Hey Uncle Joe, you may want to double-check who is piloting those F-15s because they’re likely to be right-wing Americans. Not much compromise and cooperation, is there, JustMike650?
Like I said, "I rest my case" ------> https://www.smdailyjournal.com/opinion/columnists/republicans-on-the-peninsula/article_eb9310ae-97b8-11ed-91b1-77791c01ccab.html
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