Religious leaders strive to keep the dream alive

A world of tolerance, a world free from oppression was what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. dreamed of. Though strides have been made, local religious leaders acknowledged that King’s dream has not yet been fully achieved.

The Valley Stream Religious Council hosted its annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration Monday afternoon at the Valley Stream Presbyterian Church on South Central Avenue. Together, about 50 religious leaders and community members came together to honor the man who led the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s.

The featured speaker was the Rev. Alvan Johnson, presiding elder of the Brooklyn Westchester District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He harshly criticized the greed of the wealthy, and those who send jobs oversees to simply save money.

Johnson said that while the United States was born in the imagination of its founding parents, he questioned if the country is living up to their expectations. Why are leaders more interested in exploring space, he questioned, than ensuring that all citizens have a space to live in. “We must rekindle our imagination,” he said.

Mayor Ed Fare cited a quote from the Bible, often used by King in his famous speeches, “The truth shall set you free.” Fare said this saying hangs underneath the clock in his classroom at South High School. Perhaps, he said, it should hang in the mayor’s office at Village Hall as well.

Fare said that teachers not only focus on academics, but try to instill in students the importance of being good, honest and truthful people — characteristics important to King. “Truth, tolerance and mutual respect, virtues that are Dr. King’s hallmark, are molded and nurtured in our students,” Fare said.

Describing King as one of the nation’s great teachers, Fare recounted the day in 1982 when President Ronald Reagan signed into law the bill that made Dr. Martin Luther King Day a national holiday.

The Rev. John Cole, during his blessing, discussed the importance of celebrating the memory of man who was a great leader and an example for all to follow. He said celebrations like the one on Monday are necessary to keep King alive in everyone’s hearts.

The event featured several inspiring musical performances, including a mime dance by David Thomas from the Queens Church of the First Born Laurelton and the singing of “We Shall Overcome” by all those in attendance.

To spread the message of tolerance and acceptance, one of the speakers was Malik Nadeen Abid, a Nassau County Human Rights commissioner and a member of American Muslim Voice. Abid said he is not ashamed to be a Muslim, but rather is proud to be a Muslim living in America.

“I have a dream,” he said, “and my dream is no different than Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream. We have come a long way in the past 50 years, we have come a long way, but we are far from accomplishment, even today.”

Abid called on citizens to serve as messengers for King, serving to protect the Constitution and everyone’s civil liberties.

Johnson condemned all acts of racism, sexism, anti-semitism and other forms of bias, prejudice and persecution. He said that King’s dream wasn’t just equal rights for African-Americans, but justice and freedom for all. “We have inherited Dr. King’s dream,” he said. “Now let us rise from our sleep and work to bring the American dream to reality.”

Rev. Kymberley Clemons-Jones, president of the Valley Stream Religious Council, has hosted the celebration at her church for the past three years. She echoed the sentiments of her fellow religious leaders about the importance of keeping King’s memory alive.

Clemons-Jones said she hopes that all who attended Monday’s event will fight for a world of freedom, justice and liberation. Most important, she said, is that for everyone to spread some love. “I hope that they get invigorated,” she said, “to go out and do justice in the world.”