A Historic
Address
Martin Luther King
Jr.'s "I Have a Dream Speech" is without a doubt one of the most
important speeches in modern history. Dr. King's trusted friend and advisor Dr. Clarence B.
Jones, who co-wrote those famous words, spoke out strongly against
attacks on Israel at the 23rd Annual Commemoration of the late Rev.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
He emphatically
declared that “The fact that [Israel] has made some mistakes doesn't mean that
gives you carte blanche to say 'Israel is an Apartheid state' or 'Israel is a
racist state.'"
Dr. Jones spoke out
against those who would distort Dr. King’s words for political agenda, saying
“I am always a little taken aback. I am seeing people quoting him frequently
out of context to develop a thesis, an argument that he would not be in support
of the state of Israel. That is absolutely insane.”
Added Dr. Jones,
"I could not stand here, it would be blasphemous, it would be sacrilegious
for me to accept this award in the name of Martin Luther king Jr unless I said
these things to you. Because he would expect no less of me. Because what I am
saying to you is not what I read, or somebody told me. I am
interpreting his legacy from 7 and a half years of close, intimate work with
the greatest person of the 20th century."
The Martin Luther
King Jr. Award is presented annually by the Consulate General of Israel in New
York, together with the Jewish Community Relations Council and the Newish
National Fund. Coinciding with Black History Month, the award is presented to
those whose work reflects Dr. King's legacy of hope and peace. The event is a
reminder of the historic friendship between Dr. King and the State of Israel,
and a promise to continue the strong ties between the African American
community and the Jewish American.
This year, the
honorees included Dr. King's right hand, the aforementioned Dr. Clarence B.
Jones, and Reverend Dr. Jesse T. Williams Jr. of the Convent
Avenue Baptist Church.
A Historic
Partnership
While accepting the
award, Dr. Jones reminded the audience that "No African-American leader of
national stature was more passionate, privately and publicly, than Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr. in fostering a 24/7 working coalition with the Jewish community
and his support for the State of Israel. No one.”
He continued,
saying “As we seek to restore this coalition [between the African-American and
Jewish communities] What concerns me most is the effort to delegitimize Israel
, is this effort to build up an international support around the world in which
major institutions, banks, pension funds will withdraw their support from
Israel. “
“And if this is not
dealt with directly, in my opinion, this poses a greater threat than anything
that Israel has ever faced,” added Dr. Jones.
A 'Wintertime
Soldier'
Returning to the
historic and important friendship between African Americans, Jews, and Israel,
Dr. Jones then quoted Martin Luther King Jr., saying “Dr. King said in defining
what a wintertime soldier is: he said ‘You know, anybody can stand with you in
the warm summer sunlight of an August summer. But only a winter soldier stands
with you at midnight in the alpine shill of winter.’ The issue of the
relationship between African American and Jewish American community, it’s time
for persons in both communities to recognize they must be wintertime soldiers.”
Dr. Jones ended his
acceptance speech saying, “From the standpoint of someone who has represented
the great legacy of this extraordinary man, Martin Luther King Jr. I say to my
African American brothers and sisters, I’m speaking of the standpoint of the
derivative relationship I had with Martin Luther King, Jr. the time is now for
every African American person, every person of stature in the African American
community, to come forward and stand with Israel in the alpine shill of winter.
To show that we are wintertime soldiers.”
Bringing
Communities Together
As New Yorkers of
every walk of life gathered at Harlem’s historic Convent Avenue Baptist Church,
Natalie Lazaroff of the Jewish National Fund noted that “Black history month,
and this event, show us the successes of taking time to stop, think, and recall
the past. Here we are, members of different communities, but all global
citizens, sitting together as one. We want to honor the past, and work towards
creating a better future for our children.”
The event truly
brought communities together, evidenced best when the Church’s Chosen
Generation Youth Choir gathered in song with Israeli singers for an ensemble
and joint performance of “Yom Yavo (The Day Will Come)” and “We Shall
Overcome.”
Carrying on the
Dream
The other recipient
of this year’s Martin Luther King, Jr. award, Reverend Dr. Jesse T. Williams Jr., noted that while
Dr. Jones represents the generation of Martin Luther King, Jr., he himself is
from the generation that has “a responsibility to not
necessarily reinterpret the dream, but to carry it on with faithfulness.”
Rev. Williams
called for “embarking upon a new relationship that encompasses the principles
of love, justice, and shalom; where the worth and dignity off every human being
is valued.”
As he was presented
the award, Rev. Williams said “I can’t help but to reflect upon the words that
have inspired me and shaped me in my ministry. In the [Birmingham] letter, Dr.
King said these famous words ‘“an injustice anywhere is a threat to justice
everywhere.’”
He added, “As I
receive this award, I receive it knowing that you and I are all coworkers with
God together. And that we have made progress, but there is still much work to
do.”
Said Dr. Jones,
Martin Luther King, Jr. "left us a template of love and a commitment to
the pursuit of excellence and a template fostering the enduring relationship
between the African American and Jewish community."