You have made a major error here. The ministers lead the parade in 07, 06, and every year before that. I don't know where you got your information, but I attend every year. I ran against Mrs. Richardson for US Congress, so I'm not coming to her defense here. But you are just plain incorrect on this point, and you need to print a correction.
I would imagine the P-T has file photos. You could also call the Long Beach Ministers Alliance and ask them.
They were there. I saw them. I handed them fliers detailing Dr. King's opposition to war. I do it every year.
peace,
d
Al Austin
· 2 years ago
It's clear to me that the current occupants of the 6th District Council office are making excuses for their inability to effectively organize and raise the funds necessary to sustain the Long Beach MLK, Jr. Parade and Celebration at a level that the community expects. The fact is, despite Mr. Andrew's many years of residency in the Central Area; he's never been involved in any aspect of the King Parade throughout its 19 year history, except as a spectator. Moreover, Andrews doesn't have much of a record of community involvement in anything outside of his employment obligations, from which he also has benefited. Dee Andrews and his staff are understandably out of touch and clueless about organizing such a large scale community event. If Dee Andrews can’t handle the pressures of leadership, he should step aside. Excuses are the tools of the incompetent.
BTW…I actually stood in prayer with several local ministers prior to the kick-off of the 2007 Long Beach MLK, Jr. Parade. Several ministers did in fact lead the parade, which is tradition.
Pat Towner
· 2 years ago
Mr. Austin, I do not know who you are nor do I particularly want to insert myself in an issue I know very little about. Here we have two posted comments and neither one comes up with a solution...just petty remarks. I think we need to figure out a way to help the 6th District, not demean the councilmember who had little to do with the problem. Perhaps a fund raiser might be in order and Congresswoman Richardson, could be the draw to a luncheon or something like that. After all she is off to a great start, introducing new legislation that will benefit all of us and she could help paying that bill off. Everyone wins.
daniel b
· 2 years ago
I'm not sure who Pat Towner is but if he doesnt work on Laura Richardson's PR staff, he should. Why do PR work for free?
How my letter is petty I don't see. I made a correction to a factual error. I didn't make suggestions and I didn't bitch about problems - I just stated a fact.
But here's a problem I'll bitch about: The parade has little to do with Martin Luther King and his radical Christian dissent. At the lead up to war, the parade was full of armed soldiers waving flags. King opposed war, period. So this parade is an exercise in white-washing and hypocrisy.
Want a solution? Let churches and community groups, not politicans, run the parade.
All Comments
I would imagine the P-T has file photos. You could also call the Long Beach Ministers Alliance and ask them.
They were there. I saw them. I handed them fliers detailing Dr. King's opposition to war. I do it every year.
peace,
d
BTW…I actually stood in prayer with several local ministers prior to the kick-off of the 2007 Long Beach MLK, Jr. Parade. Several ministers did in fact lead the parade, which is tradition.
How my letter is petty I don't see. I made a correction to a factual error. I didn't make suggestions and I didn't bitch about problems - I just stated a fact.
But here's a problem I'll bitch about: The parade has little to do with Martin Luther King and his radical Christian dissent. At the lead up to war, the parade was full of armed soldiers waving flags. King opposed war, period. So this parade is an exercise in white-washing and hypocrisy.
Want a solution? Let churches and community groups, not politicans, run the parade.
And also, give Pat Towner a spin job in DC!