A18 Friday, January 13, 2017
The Southington Citizen | southingtoncitizen.com
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Time to work together for common good is the federal holiday celebrating the life and work of By Dick Fortunato Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Special to The Citizen Friday, Jan. 20, is the inauguration of President Donald We have two significant dates J. Trump, who will take the coming up: Monday, Jan. 16 oath of office.
An American Baptist minister and activist who led the Civil Rights movement, King is known for his influential role in advancing civil rights using his Christian-based beliefs of nonviolent civil dis-
obedience, following Gandhi’s works of justice through peace.
of my own space and imagination I have thought deeply about what it might be like. Frankly, it evoked realities King was involved in such too grim for comfort. Like notable events as the 1955 King, I believe violence exMontgomery bus boycott, acerbates racism. I do not the founding of the Southaccept the extreme courses Service ern Christian Leadership24 HourofEmergency action advocated by some. CT License #P1 279241 Conference in 1957 and the DayIService Same Available M-F but don’t have the answers unsuccessful 1962 struggle I believe I can use my voice against segregation in Aland actions to effectively asbany, Georgia. sert that the status quo is a grossly unacceptable human In 1963, he organized the condition. nonviolent protests in Birmingham and the march of My 2017 resolution is to be 250,000 demonstrators to the a better person. I’ve begun Lincoln Memorial in Washto-seek opportunities to bet• Water heater replacements ington, D.C., where King ter understand others who gaveOil, his famous “I have a Gas, Electric are not like me and to add dream” speech. my voice to today’s focus on
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• High-efficiency tankless water social justice. I’m not opinIn 1964,installed he received the Noheaters ing here on what constitutes bel Peace Prize and Presiracism. Neither am I sitting dent Johnson led the passage • Faucet and fixture replacement around waiting for the oft of the Civil Rights Act prohiband repair iting all racial discrimination. proposed “national conversation on racism” to happen. • Water filter installation King was assassinated on As to the inauguration of • Complete kitchen and bathroom April 4, 1968 in Memphis, while planning another naremodel services availableDonald Trump, we need to end the grousing about the tional occupation in D.C.: • Gas for - Fireplace kits - worst presidenadmittedly Thepipe Poor People’s Campaign.log tial election campaign I’ve Gas grills Pool heaters How do ordinary citizens
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observe Martin Luther King Day? News stories indicate that with the day off from work some do volunteer service through their faith congregations or community service groups. Schools use it as an educational opportunity. Volumes documenting the legacy of Dr. King arouse keen interest to historians while impassioning hope in many and stirring the hearts and minds of others to open themselves to a new clarity of awareness of their personal biases and sense of social consciousness.
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seen since I voted for Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952. The parties need to work together in earnest to ensure that we make this nation a better place for every American. We have walked on the moon and sent explorers far beyond that. Can we not learn to keep partisan politics civil and focused on the discovery of common ground for the common good? Columnist and community service advocate Dick Fortunato welcomes comments at dick617@gmail.com.
I have not walked in a black man’s shoes but in the quiet
Cabaret Theater holding auditions Connecticut Cabaret Theatre in Berlin is looking for females, age 18 to 35, for the musical “Life Could Be a Dream.” Auditions are by appointment only. Interested participants should
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