Page 2 - ARUBA TODAY

A2 UP FRONT
Tuesday 21 January 2020

Continued from Front in the history of our Coun-
Monday's speeches at Eb- try, by far. Also, best Pover-
enezer Baptist were just ty, Youth, and Employment
one slice of the political numbers, ever. Great!"
struggle in Georgia, where Black unemployment has
Democrats believe they reached a record low dur-
can make further inroads in ing the Trump administra-
the Republican controlled tion, but many economists
state, aided by diverse in- note economic growth
migration and a suburban since 2009 has driven hiring.
backlash against President The most dramatic drop
Donald Trump. in black unemployment
Up for re-election this year, came under President
Trump sought to stamp his Barack Obama. Despite
own mark on the com- economic success, polls
memoration. He and Vice find most African American
President Mike Pence voters regard Trump with
made a brief visit to the distaste.
Martin Luther King Jr. Me- In Atlanta, Republican U.S.
morial in Washington. Ear- Sen. Kelly Loeffler, appoint-
lier in the day, Trump sent ed last month by Georgia
a tweet noting that it was Gov. Brian Kemp, said her
the third anniversary of his upbringing on an Illinois inspired us to ask what Dr. Others agreed with him, Democrats led by former
inauguration: "So appropri- farm was touched by King. King asked the world. 'What with keynote speaker Rev. gubernatorial nominee
ate that today is also MLK jr "Dr. King's call to service, to are you doing for others?'" Howard-John Wesley of Stacey Abrams have at-
DAY. African-American Un- sacrifice, to put others first, Loeffler said. Alexandria, Virginia, telling tacked his actions, includ-
employment is the LOWEST it shaped our home and One of Loeffler's Demo- attendees that "we have ing a mass purge of inac-
cratic opponents in a No- lost the radicality" of King's tive voters from the state's
vember special election vision, talking about how voting rolls.
could be the Rev. Raphael King attacked the Viet- "Every voter gets one vote.
Warnock, the current pas- nam War and the unequal We all have a voice. We all
tor at Ebenezer, which King American economy at the count," Raffensperger said.
and his father once led. end of his career. King's daughter Bernice
Warnock, without mention- Loeffler made no men- spoke about the King holi-
ing Loeffler by name, said tion of Trump or the Sen- day becoming a day of ser-
that honoring King means ate impeachment trial, but vice, "a day on, not a day
more than just voicing "lip Democratic U.S. Rep Hank off." She said the holiday
service" on one weekend a Johnson did, drawing ap- needs a broader vision. "A
year. plause when he mentioned day on is not enough. What
"Everyone wants to be impeachment and saying we need is a light on, com-
seen standing where Dr. American democracy is "in mitted to working vigilantly
King stood. That's fine, grave danger." to build the beloved com-
you're welcome," said War- "Our communities are once munity," she said. "A light
nock, who could soon an- again finding themselves on encompasses a com-
nounce a Senate run. "But on the front lines of fight- mitment not just to service
if today you would stand ing to protect our very re- but to systemic change as
in this holy place, where public," Johnson said. "And well."
Dr. King stood, make sure, it can be easy, brothers The same kind of wrestling
that come tomorrow, we'll and sisters, in moments like over what King means in
find you standing where Dr. these to despair. But even the present moment was
King stood." in our darkest hours, the taking place elsewhere,
Of King, Warnock said that legacy of Dr. King is a hope with Pence speaking Sun-
"too many people like to re- that dawn will come." day at a church service in
member him and dismem- Georgia's Republican Memphis, Tennessee.
ber him at the same time," Secretary of State, Brad Pence spoke at the Holy
calling Georgia "ground Raffensperger took the City Church of God in
zero for voter suppression" stage, seeking to build con- Christ about King's religion
and citing the failure of the fidence that his office sup- and how he "challenged
state's Republican lead- ports broad voter partici- the conscience of a nation
ership to fully expand the pation and that the state's to live up to our highest ide-
Medicaid health insurance new voting machines will als by speaking to our com-
program. guarantee a fair vote. mon foundation of faith."q