Menu
Lt. governor says election fulfilled promise of founders
Brad Little, lieutenant governor for the State of Idaho, served as the keynote speaker for the 20th annual Mountain Home Community Black History Committee Banquet held at the American Legion Hall last Friday night.
During this year's banquet Darleen Watson was named the Person of the Year, C.D. Houston won the Martin Luther King Lifetime Achievement and Barb Bogard won the Thurgood Marshall Community Service award.
Little focused his speech on the theme for this year's event, "Black History Progress in America."
Little opened his speech by discussing the election of the new President of the United States, Barack Obama, a man whom Little admitted that he did not support during his campaign, but was influenced by the magnitude of the events leading up to election night.
Little referred to Obama's election as a "huge step toward fulfilling Martin Luther King, Jr.'s dream of an America where all people are judged only by the content of their character."
"It also represents a big step toward fulfilling the declaration and the bold promise that was made by our nation's founders and renewed by Abraham Lincoln--that all men are indeed created equal by God, and must be treated as equal by man," he said.
Little recalled words from Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce tribe, words that according to Little remind him that no one has a monopoly on the values and principles that makes America uniqueIn the words of Chief Joseph: "Let me be a free man, free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade where I choose, free to choose my own teachers, free to follow the religion of my fathers, free to think and talk and act for myself."
Little referenced the great African-American educator and civil rights leader, Booker T. Washington, and a speech he gave in 1896 in a series of conferences focused on encouraging blacks to become the "architects of their own destinies."
"We might discuss many wrongs which should be righted; but it seems to me that it is best to lay hold of the things we can put right rather than those we can do nothing but find fault with," said Little, reciting a portion of Washington's speech.
In sharing that same spirit, Little encouraging the banquet guests to join him in overseeing the challenges facing the state of Idaho and our nation as "stepping stones rather than stumbling blocks."
"I hope you will focus on those things that bind us together as Americans while maintaining a deep appreciation for what makes us individuals and communities," Little added.
Little acknowledged the celebration of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and how he was a man who advanced the essential qualities of the American character -- tolerance and equality in rights and opportunities.
"We must learn to live together as brothers, or perish together as fools," said Little, reciting a line from Dr. King.
Little told the audience that each person shares the same understanding that they are responsible for not only the events in their lives, but for the legacy of thought, speech, behavior and public policy they hand down to the next generation.
"This election was a truly historic event. With your help, we are a better state, a better nation and a better people than we were before. And I know the world and future generations of Idahoans will be better off for each of you having been in it."
For being this year's keynote speaker, Little was awarded with a special memento, an electric bald eagle trophy (when plugged in, the US flag that the eagle is flying over illuminates), honoring Little as the keynote speaker for the 20th annual banquet.
Following Little's speech, Vincent Gordon, minister of the Mountain Home Church of Christ and master of ceremonies for the banquet, presented the Person of the Year award to Watson, who was recognized for her extensive community service in Mountain Home.
"I just want to say thank you. I deeply support the Black History Committee and I also would like to thank the city of Mountain Home for giving me the opportunity to do a lot of nice things for the community," said Watson in accepting the award.
Gordon also presented both Houston as the Martin Luther King award winner and Bogard as the Thurgood Marshall award winner.
"It was quite a shock. I've been coming to banquets and supporting the community activities for a lot of years and this is indeed an honor to be recognized," said Bogard following the banquet.
"Well, I'm humbled. Anything associated with Dr. King, who has been one of my heroes and role models, is great. Just to be mentioned in the same sentence with Dr. King is an honor," said Houston following the banquet. When Houston was 11 years old he actually met Dr. King.
Karen Gordon, educator at Hacker