Gov. Beebe, area citizens gather for Martin Luther King celebrations
by January 18, 2010 6:19 pm 51 views
story and photos by Ruby Dean
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Hundreds of citizens in the Fort Smith area joined with Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe to celebrate the Martin Luther King holiday with a breakfast at the Fort Smith Convention Center followed by a parade in downtown Fort Smith.
Beebe was encouraging and uplifting as he addressed the Mayor’s Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Observance Day Breakfast. He said while Dr. King’s courage was often talked about, hew would speak mostly about his gift as an orator, and how he used this god given talent to touch and move people. He challenged everyone to use their “God given talents" for the betterment of the community in which they live. As he spoke of King’s gift as an orator, he urged everyone to follow the example and use their gift no matter what it is and to not throw it away.
He reminded the audience that King and Adolf Hitler had tremendous talents to move people to action with their gifts of orator. However, King used his for good while Hitler used his for evil and the world seen the results of both.
“It is no good to have a gift and not use it or use it in the wrong way,” Beebe explained. “You can’t be what you can’t see.”
Fort Smith Mayor Ray Baker proclaimed Jan. 18, 2010 as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Fort Smith. He encouraged all of the citizens to join together and become part King’s dreams to “strive for a better and greater America in which all individuals may live, work, and practice a spirit of brotherly love, caring and compassion as together by our actions we are redeeming the Dream of Dr. King.”
