MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR Volume 1 Number 3
January 2018
PUBLISHER Rosalind J. Harris
GENERAL MANAGER Lawrence A. James MANAGING EDITOR Gordon Jackson
CONTRIBUTING COPY EDITOR Laurence C. Washington FILM CRITIC BlackFlix.Com
CONTRIBUTING WRITER Gordon Jackson ART DIRECTOR Bee Harris
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jody Gilbert Kolor Graphix
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Melovy Melvin
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Gordon Jackson
The Spirit of MLK Still Lives Because it Lives Within Us “Happy New Year!” seems to have taken on a whole new meaning as we transition from 2017 to 2018. 2017 became a year of shocking revelations in the name of social consciousness and racial disharmony messages that shook our values and principles to the core. The 45th President of the United States clearly sent signals to the public and country that distinctly showed about his lack of concern for people of color and other minorities. So, what better way to start off 2018 by reflecting on the works and qualities of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.? His bold and unapologetic mission for America to attain total nonviolence and a peaceful multicultural society is what made him the world’s most iconic civil rights hero and – not to mention – what led to his death. That should inspire us to ask this critical question: WWKD -- What Would King Do?
If Dr. King were alive today:
How would he have responded to the summer protest in Charlottesville, Virginia that featured young white supremacists, Neo Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan marching, then sparking violence that led to the death of a young woman? How would he have responded to the President’s remarks that essentially validated racism? Would King have attempted to meet with “45?”
Would King have “taken a knee,” to express his disdain about the racial injustice effecting young black men at the hands of members of the police? How would he have engaged with Quarterback Colin Kaepernick?
Would King have taken part in the Women’s March sparked by the results of the 2016 Presidential Elections? Would he have campaigned in the pivotal Senate race between Doug Jones and Roy Moore? What would he say about the international crisis with North Korea and Russia?
Even almost 50 years after his assassination, it’s imperative for us to realize that practicing Dr. King’s qualities and principles in our own personal everyday lives is just as important than it was when he was alive fighting our civil rights battles. While we don’t have Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in person with us today, we still have him in spirit. Please remember that as we participate in MLK activities in January – as well as Black History Month activities in February – it’s our actions collectively that can turn around the climate we’re witnessing today and truly make American Great Again – again.
The Gulf Coast Urban Spectrum is a monthly online publication dedicated to spreading the news about people of color along the coastline states of the United States including Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Contents of the Gulf Coast Urban Spectrum are copyright 2018 by Bizzy Bee Enterprise. No portion may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The Gulf Coast Urban Spectrum welcomes all letters, but reserves the right to edit for space, libelous material, grammar, and length. All letters must include name, address, and phone number. We will withhold author’s name on request. Unsolicited articles are accepted without guarantee of publication or payment. Write to the Gulf Goast Urban Spectrum c/o Denver Urban Spectrum at P.O. Box 31001, Aurora, CO 80041. For advertising, subscriptions, or other information, call 303-292-6446 or fax 303-292-6543 or visit the Web site at www.gulfcoasturbanspectrum.com or www.denverurbanspectrum.com.
Gordon M. Jackson Jr. Editor Gulf Coast Urban Spectrum
Gulf Coast Urban Spectrum — www.gulfcoasturbanspectrum.com – January 2018
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