Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrated at WNMU; Pastor Earseye Ross recognized

Ross relates parable to everyone

By Mary Alice Murphy

Gloria Bradford of the Corps for National Service local office and Western New Mexico University Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Isaac Brundage presented the welcome to the more than 80 people who celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day together at Light Hall on the WNMU campus.

Bradford said she started about nine years ago looking for an opportunity to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Silver City. "I partnered with Pastor Earseye Ross. I'm thankful we have kept this going."

Brundage said the groups sponsoring the event—Concilio CDS (Concilio del Sudoeste) Inc., Grant County Democratic Party, Brewer Hills Baptist Church and WNMU—are "proud to honor one of the key people for this celebration, Pastor Earseye Ross."

Brewer Hills Baptist Church newest Pastor Waldo Winborn gave the opening prayer. He cited MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech as parts of his prayer: "We have come to Washington to write a check. … A promissory note to be guaranteed the inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness…. I have a dream that this country will rise up… All men are created equal… I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they are not judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." Winborn ended the prayer: "Thank You for all your blessings. Give wisdom to our leaders and our children. All are created in your image. Open up our hearts and minds to walk as Jesus did. There are different things that can be accomplished peacefully" to a rousing Amen at the end of his prayer.

Three WNMU students gave brief remarks, using words and thoughts from King's "I Have a Dream" speech.

Cali Iago, a psychology major, said she found the speech "fits what happens every day. We have so much now to accomplish."

Leron Reed, a senior in social work, said that what King did and said is "what it took to let us now sit in the same classrooms and get the same education. My generation needs to look at our history. I don't think anyone of my generation could have stood in King's shoes. King spoke of police brutality, which exists today. Only light can drive out darkness. Only love can conquer hate."

Rodney Lawson, a WNMU freshman studying sociology, said King was brave to speak to millions of people.

"Dr. King, you are a superhero," Lawson said. "He's the Moses of today. We've come a long way. Things will come eventually. I’m tired of waiting for eventually. We have to play a role and we have to do it together."

Bradford introduced one of the Senior Corps participants in the Foster Grandparent Program. Patricia Williams said her favorite part of the speech is that "you not judge me by the color of my skin, by the content of my character."

"Everybody has been so receptive and nice to me through all my volunteering," Williams said.

The Albuquerque inaugural poet laureate and poetry slam champion, Hakim Bellamy, to the backdrop of a slow melody, presented his rap using King's words, as well as those from Mahatma Ghandi and from King's assassin, James Earl Ray. He called it the "King Mixed Tape."

He said he contemplates on King's speech every day. His powerful poems came at a rapid pace to an enthusiastic crowd.

Brundage introduced Ross, saying that Ross had met King, Rosa Parks and Muhammad Ali. He marked on Selma and had recently retired as Pastor of Brewer Hills Baptist Church in Silver City.

Brundage joked that he and Ross went to rival universities. "He went to Southern University and I went to Florida A & M. When I was first coming to Silver City, people reached out to me, before I got here. Ross and his family were among them. I strongly believe that it is key community members who make a difference. He has contributed to many things here, including Black History Month, this Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and others."

"Congratulations on your recognition," Brundage said. "We are honored to honor Ross today and to induct him into the Hall of Fame."

Brundage said Ross was on the committee to choose the person to recognize this year. "We all knew it was going to be him, but we wanted to keep it a secret from him. But to make it work, we realized we had to tell him."

Ross came to the microphone and began: "I give honor to God and to each and every one of you. I'm especially glad to see all of you. I don't have the words to express how I feel about this award."

He commended and said he admired the college students who came forward.

"I'm from Shreveport, Louisiana," Ross said. "Brother Isaac said don't give a Baptist minister a microphone. I want you to know that I started preaching without a mike. This speech is primarily for college students. In 1969, after years of marching and demonstrating, I was at a loss of what to do. A cousin gave me a parable and told me: 'But you gotta use it.'

"I moved to Los Angeles and chased the girls, but the parable was always with me," Ross continued. "I didn't catch any girls. I had to wait until one caught me."

He pointed out his wife of 47 years in the audience.

"We came to Silver City in 1977," Ross said. "I have an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. This is the parable to everybody: 'Listen if you please. Imagine a little small town, kind of like Silver City. The town council got together and mandates every Sunday at 3 p.m., you meet with the old man in the park for him to answer any question. Everybody had to listen to the old man giving out answers. Except for the teenage boys, who knew what they were going to do. One of them, Big Jake, would do the asking of the question. The boys caught a bird and gave it to Big Jake to hold. He would ask the old man if the bird were dead or alive. If the old man said: 'alive,' Big Jake would squeeze it and kill the bird to prove the old man wrong. If the old man said: 'dead,' Big Jake would open his land and let the bird fly away again proving the old man wrong. So, he asked the old man if the bird were dead or alive. The old man thinks and says: 'I don't know. I know you think that I'm supposed to know everything. I do know that the destiny of that bird is in your hands.' Big Jake opened his hands and the bird flew away."

"In the same way, Your destiny is in your hands," Ross concluded.

Frances Vasquez gave the closing, saying thank you to everyone who attended and a thank you to WNMU for use of the facility, as well as the staff who helped with the celebration.