Martin Luther King Day Carries a Message of Non-Violence in Attleboro

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s emphasis on non-violent solutions to conflicts was the focus of the 24th annual celebration of the holiday at with the assembled speakers reflecting on King’s message following the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) and 18 others.

Ethel Garvin, the chairperson of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Committee alluded to the events in Arizona during her opening remarks and said afterward “I think the timing of the holiday with those events make it a good time to reflect on his message.”

Cong. James P. McGovern (D-MA) spoke at length about the shootings in Arizona and spoke out against “the culture of violence” in the nation.

McGovern expressed disappointment with the aftermath of the tragedy, saying the discussion was too typical.

“The left blamed the right, the right blamed the left, and we all blamed the media,” McGovern said.

McGovern hoped that something positive would come out of the tragedy, mainly a solution to violence in the country. He also urged people to “lower the rhetoric." “We need to stop to the polarization that goes on in this country," McGovern said. “We need to be more civil to one another.

"It’s not necessarily about agreement, but understanding and respect.”

“The recent tragedy in Arizona brought to wonder what Dr. King would say about our society today,” State Rep. Elizabeth Poirier said.

She reflected on King’s approach to non-violent change and quoted him, saying 'I still believe we shall overcome' and so do I.”

One official, State Rep. George T. Ross, reflected on Dr. King’s equal rights movement with his own recollections of segregation.

As a child living in Ohio, Ross saw segregation first hand in the many “whites only signs” in his town and emotionally recalled seeing African Americans refused service.

“Segregation was an ugly monster,” Ross said.

While 48 years have passed since that speech, and 43 years have passed since Dr. King’s assassination, City Council President Frank Cook stressed the importance of instilling those events in younger generations and ensuring that their importance will not be dulled with time.

“This is one of the days of the year where we take history and lift it from the textbooks and into the fabric of society,” Cook said.

The younger generation’s involvement in the celebration did not go unnoticed, with a performance by the King’s Kids Choir from the

students made a quilt of various African American inventors such George Washington Carver, Fredrick Jones, and Patricia Bath. The quilt was sewn by the Dorcas Sewing Circle of Providence, R.I. and will be on display in

The MLK celebration continued with an interfaith service at Memorial Baptist Church in Seekonk, the theme of which was “Hope in Action: Dr. King’s Blueprint for Change.”