It is precisely because of opinions such as those of letter writer Barbara Walther ( Daily Press, May 21) that the entire, new Santa Monica Public Library building — not just a wing or single room — should be named in honor of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
Ms. Walther’s statement that “he certainly does not represent Santa Monica” is a distasteful, year 2002 variant on the prevailing attitude of many whites 50 years ago that African-Americans “should know their place... and that place isn’t here.”
Should the legacy of Dr. King only be celebrated in predominantly minority communities, such as the King-Drew Hospital in Watts or King Blvd. in Crenshaw?
As a substitute teacher in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, I have first-hand experience that students at all 16 of our district schools understand that Dr. King taught non-violence as the way to protest injustice and bring about social harmony and tolerance for all Americans.
What a shame that some of their elders are still squeamish at the mere mention of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the new Santa Monica Public Library in the same sentence!
Personally, I’d like to suggest the city also consider a name change for the Fairview branch when it reopens in November to the Caesar Chavez branch, since that library houses the city’s finest services and collections for both the general Latino and the Spanish-speaking communities.
Finally, Ms. Walther’s linking of opposition to the King name for our new library and support for the spurious Veritas bad-government scheme on the November ballot is a revealing reflection of repressed racial-ethnic-social stratus beliefs becoming to our historically tolerant hometown Santa Monica.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 23, 2002. Read the original PDF.