King Helped Liberate Us All Letter Of The Week: From Dec. 30, 1997

Recently, Kootenai County Commissioner Ron Rankin embarrassed North Idaho by slandering a great American hero during a county commission meeting. Rankin called the Martin Luther King holiday a “lesser day” than Columbus Day.

He thinks it sad that more is made of Martin Luther King Day than of other holidays honoring this nation’s great leaders.

King was an American who struggled for equality, democratic ideals and an end to oppression based upon racial hatred. Columbus was an Italian, hired out to the king of Spain, who sought fame, riches, expansion of a colonial empire and subjugation of indigenous people.

We honor George Washington because he fought for independence and founded a democracy. Likewise, we revere Abe Lincoln for protecting the nation from the elite class willing to destroy the Union rather than submit to democratic rule.

Dr. King’s commitment to civil rights was a logical continuation of the founding fathers’ work: evolution toward a free society. King was martyred for all Americans, not just one ethnic group. Using the language of hope and forgiveness, he made us understand that a color blind society would benefit the white people as much as the black. His speeches explained how fear and racism enslaved the oppressor. He liberated us from our prison of bigotry. He was not just a “black leader;” he led all Americans toward a brighter future.

King’s work is not complete. We need his holiday to honor his sacrifice while rallying enthusiasm for his ideals.

Hearing our elected officials denounce Martin Luther King Day shows how much farther we have to go. Bruce B. Dimon Post Falls

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