PM: 'Carry on Luther King's noble struggle'

Perry Christie speaks at the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington in front of the Lincoln Memorial. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

As of Wednesday, August 28, 2013

PRIME Minister Perry Christie has spoken at a ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, where Dr Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech roused 250,000 people who rallied for racial equality.

Mr Christie was among a list of dignitaries, speaking after Joaquin Castro, a US Texas Democrat, and before a Junkanoo performance.

This is what Mr Christie told the crowd at the televised event, after he was introduced to them as 'His Excellency,' the Prime Minister of the Bahamas:

"Less than 50 miles apart; but however close that might be in the literal sense, we are in the geography of the soul, even closer than that.

“The common ties of history, of ethnicity and culture, of migration, of a common heritage of struggle binds us together not just as neighbours, not even only as friends, but as true brothers and sisters.

“The message I bring to you today can be briefly stated and it is this: as momentous as this occasion is, we do a grave injustice to ourselves and to all humanity if we leave here unresolved to carry on the greater noble struggle for which Martin Luther King Jr gave his life.

“The blood of this good man shed in Memphis still cries out across the years, cries out to each and every one of us wherever we may be, all across the world to stand up for freedom, to stand up for human dignity, to stand up for equality, to stand up for social justice, to stand up for right and not for wrong, for peace and not for war, for love and not for hate.

“There is the timelessness and universality of the message that he proclaimed and the heroic majesty of his personal example that explains why Martin Luther King Jr is as relevant today, as compelling today, as inspirational today as he was 50 years ago when from these very precincts he delivered the oration that rocked the conscience of America and the world.

“When he spoke as he did that day, we somehow knew, we somehow felt that his message was coming from a place that was not only deep within himself but deep within us all.

“He had awakened to the call of that place and was rousing us from our slumber so that he could take our own inner soundings and hear it too.

“In so doing, he gave language to our deepest yearnings for a better life.

“Martin Luther King's work remains unfinished.

“This then must be for all of us a time not only for renewal but above all, a profoundly personal level in the most authentic way possible, a time for rededication to the dream that Martin Luther King Jr championed throughout his life.

“May the light of the flame continue to guide us as we go forward, each in his own nation to continue the work of Martin Luther King Jr.

“In that way and no other way we keep his dream alive and make it our own.”

President Barack Obama was set to lead civil rights pioneers today. Large crowds gathered at the Lincoln Memorial, where the first black US president was expected to speak just around 3pm — the time when King delivered his spellbinding speech early in the turbulent 1960s. The landmark Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act to outlaw discrimination were signed into law in the next two years.

Obama has said King is one of two people he admires "more than anybody in American history." The other is Abraham Lincoln. Obama will be joined by former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, with thousands of people expected to attend.

Obama will offer his personal reflections on the civil rights movement, King's speech, the progress achieved in the past 50 years and the challenges that demand attention from the next generation.

International commemorations will be held at London's Trafalgar Square, as well as in the nations of Japan, Switzerland, Nepal and Liberia. London Mayor Boris Johnson has said King's speech resonates around the world and continues to inspire people as one of the great pieces of oratory.

On August 28, 1963, as King was ending his speech, he quoted from the patriotic song, "My Country 'tis of Thee" and urged his audience to "let freedom ring."

"When we allow freedom to ring — when we let it ring from every city and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, 'Free at last, free at last, great God almighty, we are free at last," King said.

The civil rights leader was assassinated five years later.

The Rev. Bernice King opened the celebration today at an interfaith service. King said that her father is often remembered as a freedom fighter for equal rights and human rights, but he was most importantly a man of faith.

Obama considers the 1963 march part of his generation's "formative memory." A half-century after the march, he said, is a good time to reflect on how far the country has come and how far it still has to go, particularly after the recent acquittal of George Zimmerman in the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager.

Race isn't a subject Obama likes to talk about in public, but the Martin case is one time he has done so.

In an interview Tuesday on Tom Joyner's radio show, Obama said he imagines that King "would be amazed in many ways about the progress that we've made." He listed advances such as equal rights before the law, an accessible judicial system, thousands of African-American elected officials, African-American CEOs and the doors that the civil rights movement opened for Latinos, women and gays.

"I think he would say it was a glorious thing," he said.

jackflash 10 years, 7 months ago

I hope that the PM shows up on time for this one????

banker 10 years, 7 months ago

This is going to be embarassing. After he is done, everyone will be scratching their heads saying "What did he say?".

242realtalk 10 years, 7 months ago

This is one occasion that I will not criticize our Prime Minister of the Bahamas. I did not see it, but I am sure given the time constraints (5 Minutes) he stuck to script and his delivery would have been on point.

So I salute and stand with our Prime Minister for representing our country at such an auspicious occasion.

Good job sir and God bless the Bahamas.

concernedcitizen 10 years, 7 months ago

Yeah lets carry on kings legacy ,as we beat the sh##t out of our caribbean brothers ...

jlcandu 10 years, 7 months ago

I would. Just another opportunity for the PM to run his mouth. It's a travesty that his own party he leads doesn't support the principles behind Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s message. Can you say victimization?

Kalikgold 10 years, 7 months ago

Better keep an out eye out for them Cubans Perry, lol

concernedcitizen 10 years, 7 months ago

good one ,,,,,

TalRussell 10 years, 7 months ago

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's leadership reminded us that all men are created equally. But at no time did he say, all leaders are destined to become great leaders. I chuckle in me belly when reading the negatively inflamed comments posted against PM Christie. Comrades maybe it would have pleased the "new to radicalism" red shirts, had the PM shouted from the podium; Viva la Cuba!. I have just completed my in-depth report on that other party leader and I've titled it; "The Unmasking of The Betrayer." Did Hubert goof-up or what, when at the end of his long illustrious political career, he graciously helped Comrade Minnis in finding a leadership job?. But has Minnis, like Judas Iscariot who betrayed the Son of God with a kiss, now betrayed the man who elevated him to become the Leader of Her Majesty's Official Opposition Party? Has leader Minnis, now taken the side of the Rebels without a Cause Cuban-ism? Yes, indeed Comrades. Man has been given the power to act as his own destroyer. So has Comrade Minnis. Viva la Cuba! No way in hell can a Minnis, possibly be the "I Have a leadership Dream" of The Right Honorable Hubert A. Ingraham? ...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwQf-H...">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwQf-H...

TalRussell 10 years, 7 months ago

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's leadership reminded us that all men are created equally. But at no time did he say, all leaders are destined to become great leaders. I chuckle in me belly when reading the negatively inflamed comments posted against PM Christie. Comrades maybe it would have pleased the "new to radicalism" red shirts, had the PM shouted from the podium; Viva la Cuba!. I have just completed my in-depth report on that other party leader and I've titled it; "The Unmasking of The Betrayer." Did Hubert goof-up or what, when at the end of his long illustrious political career, he graciously helped Comrade Minnis in finding a leadership job?. But has Minnis, like Judas Iscariot who betrayed the Son of God with a kiss, now betrayed the man who elevated him to become the Leader of Her Majesty's Official Opposition Party? Has leader Minnis, now taken the side of the Rebels without a Cause Cuban-ism? Yes, indeed Comrades. Man has been given the power to act as his own destroyer. So has Comrade Minnis. Viva la Cuba! No way in hell can a Minnis, possibly be the "I Have a Leadership Dream," that The Right Honorable Hubert had in he mind? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwQf-H...">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwQf-H...

concernedcitizen 10 years, 7 months ago

i have become convinced that you have an unhealthy obsession w/ HAI ,you rarely post on anything but articles about the FNM .When you do post on any other articles you turn it into a discussion about HAI ,...Lady Russell news flash you won ,HAi was soundly defeated and has retired ..Now how do you think the PM,s and ministers Mitchell performance have been of late ..??

banker 10 years, 7 months ago

You quote Dr. King. Here is what he really said: Genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus. (Perry Gladstone Christie is a searcher).

A lie cannot live (ergo the entire PLP cannot live).

A nation or civilization that continues to produce soft-minded men purchases its own spiritual death on the installment plan. (We have already had enough installments).

An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity. (this speaks to you Russell -- get over your FNM pettiness and obsession).

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. (Your hope in the PLP is misplaced).

Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.

I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear. (This again speaks to you Russell, in your obsession with HAI).

And here are some other shockers about MLK: He didn't believe in the Resurrection and the Second Coming. Christ was not born of a virgin nor was he divine, but he became divine in his lifetime. A literal interpretation of the Bible is a flawed interpretation.

So there you go. Consider yourself as ignorant as ever, but a lot better informed.

TalRussell 10 years, 7 months ago

Comrade Concerned Citizen even if Jesus as your scape goat, you'd still not convince many a Bahamalander, that Hubert would not jump, if he thought for a second he could return to the reds leadership, to win another term as PM. .

getrightbahamas 10 years, 7 months ago

Great job Mr. PM. God Bless The Bahamas, it's people and its future. GRB.

TalRussell 10 years, 7 months ago

My Dear Comrade Banker, I do love the way you just reach out to grab whatever your imaginary mind tells you it sees, snatching it out of whatever orbit your beautiful mind resides in. How you so neatly fit your catch in your imaginary moon, so we can brightly study the complex workings of the mind of such a human appearing imaginary creature. Comrade you're pretty damn different, right?

banker 10 years, 7 months ago

I am the Bahamian Diogenes. I cannot be bought or sold. The truth is my standard. I handle money and I am not tempted or tainted by it. I hope for a better tomorrow in spite of the lack of evidence today. I value my dirty messy island home in spite of the fact that most citizens do not take pride in, nor can they ever hope to own the hilltops or the seafronts. My fellow countrymen (and women) let me down with their illiteracy, loose morals, lying and pettifoggery partisanship. The history of my country is a lie. Yes, I am pretty damn different. I see that the emperor has no clothes, and I am not afraid to say so. Many cannot. You have the capability of writing poetry and yet you waste your beautiful mind on temporal, partisan obsessions and things that bottomfeeders dwell on. I challenge you to become a standard bearer for the literal truth, and love and goodness.

concernedcitizen 10 years, 7 months ago

pretty good stuff Banker

concernedcitizen 10 years, 7 months ago

Truth ? Show proof any client anywhere payed you ,Rory , five hundred dollars an hour for consulting fees ..,,and don,t print something on your printer ,give facts ,dates and some way to reference your boast .PS we know the FNM lost we are talking about how we are being governed on August 29 th 2013

concernedcitizen 10 years, 7 months ago

you claimed to being a consultant that has foriegn clients that you bill five hundred dollars an hour..whats w/ the bore off ..hEY ,ONCE AGAIN THE FNM WERE DEFEATED.... ON THIS DAY THE 29TH OF AUGUST 2013 , THE PLP IS THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BAHAMAS..

concernedcitizen 10 years, 7 months ago

Why are you calling PGC gay ,,FM and OHW but i think PGC is heterosexual ..

ThisIsOurs 10 years, 7 months ago

He has on a nice suit and tie. The optics are great against the stone background and the Lincoln statue. Weird..I wondered just yesterday what his mindset was, whether he was really applying himself to the numerous issues popping up in the country or more concerned about what suit he would wear to the next photo op...He looks great!

concernedcitizen 10 years, 7 months ago

Yes PM PGC does dress well and is very intelligent ,its what he lets go on around him as the price he pays for getting to be PM that bothers me..

banker 10 years, 7 months ago

It's too bad that the struggle doesn't apply to Cuban refugees. Empty words from an empty suit and an empty brain.

tribunespeaker 10 years, 1 month ago

When's the last time you built something, really constructed something wholesome while on a psychedelic? They'll offer perspective shifts and can help the genesis of ideas but each person draws their own conclusions from the experiences. This forum is not a complete or accurate sample of how all of humanity reacts to them. I love psychedelics and what they've done for my lifehttp://www.kidsgamehouse.com/profile/...">, but they are not the answer to all the problems of society. They may help with some, but to call them the only hope is throwing your lot in with the idea that the answer lies with altering brain chemistryhttp://www.casualcollision.com/profil...">.

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SP 8 years, 12 months ago

........................... PGC Proof Positive Personified Of Two Things .....................................

1) Mouth can and will say anything

2) Christie and Ingraham are irrefutable proof that lightness, or darkness of one complexion and ability to speak does not make either one more intelligent or more of a big dumb jackass than the other.

They are both well proven equally, grossly inept.

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