Off the Vine; Can We Talk About It?

The Broward Times › October 19, 2009

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Summary

Well...some people refer to it now as the silly season. My initial reaction - they must be talking about the upcoming elections when politicos we haven't seen or who haven't got much to show for their tenure, but are up for re-election, start showing up at every affair or try to throw one of those town hall meetings that never seem to happen during off-election season. The 'silly season' to others is the ways in which we celebrate the life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Black History Month both of which have all but been bastardized through a clever paternalism by Whites and an ignorant acceptance by us.

That might all be well and good but it doesn't come close to honoring the legacy and work of Martin Luther King, Jr. It's almost as sad as looking at the streets and thoroughfares across Broward and around the country named after MLK. Most of them are desolate, absent of vitality, or commerce. The old Hammondville Rd., (now MLK) in northwest Pompano Beach comes to mind. Everything around this road has been developed but the street bearing the civil rights leaders name and I'd wager when development finally comes to the road it won't be for or by Blacks.

In the coming year we're going to start focusing more on empowerment with stories, ideals and focus on the issues and things that improve the lives of our readers. We'll look at success stories, at ordinary people doing extraordinary things and how we can go from here to there in the many challenges that confront each of us. We'll continue to give you the local skinny on politics as it pertains to our community but we'll be advocating for a greater role for each of you to play and participate in the political, economic and education happenings in this community.