The Grand Rapids Times
5-23-2008
Teens Talk
By Marcel Gamble
April 4, 1968 at 6:01 p.m. is a day and time that America mourned the lost of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It has been over 40 years since this great man was taken from this world and stripped the African-American race of a great leader.
I believe that we have been wandering just like the Israelites in the dessert for 40 plus years without direction.
I didn’t discover the true profound teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King by chance. This great leader was dead before I was born.
I only know of the Rev. Dr. King through history books and personal accounts from my grandparents who were fortunate to live during his era and experienced his teachings firsthand.
As a young child, at the age of twelve, I also was wandering without direction or a foundation for the meaning of my life. I laugh about this today, but I must thank my mother, Oscatte Gamble Hendler, for the true introduction on the philosophy of Dr. King’s teachings.
My mother was wise enough to realize that I was wandering and she took me back to her roots, which her mother, Dr. Barbra Gamble had taught her.
See, I wasn’t such a cooperative student at that time. I, like a lot of youth, would test the waters. I thought I was a man, disrespecting teachers and not completing my studies and having the nerve to lie about it.
My mother took me out of school and home schooled me. My mother showed me what being a true man was with the help of my father, Bill Hendler.
I worked as a man in the mornings with my father before he went to his second job, then, I was placed in my mother’s hands for educational instructions and lessons.
Those were the longest days of my life and my parents truly instilled a rooted foundation in me during those six months.
My mother’s curriculum consisted of, “The Bible” and studying the philosophy of Dr. Martin Luther King’s life, speeches and letters. It is from this foundation that transformed my life.
Dr. King was truly a remarkable man. I have been pondering over writing this column and taking a good look at my generation and wondering what would Dr. King say if he were here today. As a generation are we carrying on his dream? Does my generation make Dr. King’s death be an action appearing to be in vain?
In my opinion, Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech was his strategic plan to lead his people out of bondage.
What would Dr. King say about the decreasing number of African-American teens graduating from high school? Simply answered, Dr. King understood that all men needed education to survive and better the group of society as a whole. Dr. King’s teachings were not only for Black Americans, it was for the entire human race.
What would Dr. King say about the increasing number of Black teen males and females incarcerated in America?
Dr. King would in my opinion first research the root causes of the problem. Dr. King was wise enough to know that solutions, to problems, only come out of knowing what the cause and effect of the problem is on society, as a whole.
Once Dr. King could define the problem and its cause he could then begin to find solutions to the problems of incarceration of minority men and women.
What would Dr. King say about the unemployment rate of African-American teens in America? What would he say about the teen gang violence in America? Dr. King preached against any kind of violence for any purpose. I am sure Dr. King would say, “Violence is not the answer, my son.”
What would Dr. King say about the fact that 88 percent of African-American children are living in poverty? What would he say when there are African-American children going to school hungry and going home without food for dinner? In my opinion, I think Dr. King would tell American Youth to make better choices in life. Choices we make in our youth many times impact on our families in negative ways. Poor choices keep groups of people in poverty, and I think Dr. King would want us to work hard to break the chains of generation poverty.
Dr. King isn’t here; his voice was taken on April 4, 1968 at 6:01 p.m., but you and I are here and our voices should be loud.
Dr. King established a voice for the depressed people of America, his words and wisdom live on and each and every one of us should be able to find many aspects of spiritual wisdom in Dr. King’s dream.
Many of us have not taken the extra step to take action.
I believe that Dr. King is weeping from the grave; this wasn’t his dream for my generation.
As I approach graduation from high school, I am told what a great achievement that I have accomplished; I am an exception to my generation.
No, I and all of the graduates of 2008 have done what should be considered the norm. I am who I am because of my community exercised their voice, and my mother took action.
Where have the values gone when getting a high school education in 2008 is considered to be an extraordinary achievement? Are we moving back in time to look at this as when African-Americans were not allowed to have an education or vote?
Dr. King’s dream can only stay alive and work for the society, as a whole, if each and everyone of us stands up to do our part to keep the dream alive.
If you see your sister or brother falling by the way, give them a hand. Don’t talk negatively about them. We are all in each word of Dr. King’s dream speech. We must play our part to keep this dream alive.
Do something positive, not violent; love, don’t hate your fellow man. Get educated , not just street-wise. Take pride in yourself, family, and heritage. These were the things the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King was saying in his speeches and actions.
Let us live by the “Dream.”
I’m going to leave you with this, Luke 12:48 “But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.”
Leave a message on the Community Forum and tell me how you are keeping Dr. King’s Dream alive.
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