KING'S LEGACY CONTINUES; SLAIN CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER HONORED IN ANNUAL EVENT; HOLIDAY MARKED WITH SPEECH, MARCH.Byline: David Greenberg The creator of this article, or someone who has substantially contributed to it, may have a conflict of interest regarding its subject matter. It may require cleanup to comply with Wikipedia's content policies, particularly neutral point of view. Staff Writer OXNARD - Having delivered an inspired speech dedicated to keeping the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. alive, 12-year-old Dan Laguatan was besieged be·siege tr.v. be·sieged, be·sieg·ing, be·sieg·es 1. To surround with hostile forces. 2. To crowd around; hem in. 3. Monday by adults offering congratulatory handshakes and visions of his future. ``You're going to be our president one day, mister!'' said one woman. They were among about 1,000 people who filled the Oxnard Performing Arts Center A performing arts center, often abbreviated PAC, is a multi-use performance space that can be adapted for use by various types of the performing arts, including dance, music and theatre. for Ventura County's 14th annual observance of the slain civil rights leader's birthday. Laguatan, already a straight-A student at Haydock Intermediate School in Oxnard and a black belt in tae kwon do tae kwon do Korean martial art resembling karate. It is characterized by the use of high standing and jump kicks as well as punches and is practiced for sport, self-defense, and spiritual development. In sparring, blows are stopped just short of contact. , spent two days researching and writing a speech judged the best in a local contest last year. The student traced the roots of the civil rights movement to King's birth 71 years ago. ``Martin Luther King had a vision, a reality that can be seen all over the Earth,'' said the seventh-grader. ``His vision, a dream come true. His vision, a thought that joins hands. Even though his human life doesn't go on, his dream does, inside everyone one of us.'' The five-minute address, given a standing ovation, symbolized for many of those gathered the need for children to absorb King's message at an early age. ``If we don't teach our children today what we're going through, then the love and cooperation we need to work together, to live together, won't happen,'' said Lowell Pumphrey, student coordinator of the MLK MLK Martin Luther King MLK Milk MLK Medialess License Kit Jr. Committee, which sponsored the event. ``What we're doing is passing the legacy on to them.'' Pumphrey, a 48-year-old Camarillo resident who grew up in Oakland, spent the 1960s protesting the Vietnam War Vietnam War, conflict in Southeast Asia, primarily fought in South Vietnam between government forces aided by the United States and guerrilla forces aided by North Vietnam. at Berkeley and Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden . His focus shifted to the civil rights movement only after King was assassinated as·sas·si·nate tr.v. as·sas·si·nat·ed, as·sas·si·nat·ing, as·sas·si·nates 1. To murder (a prominent person) by surprise attack, as for political reasons. 2. in 1968. ``At the beginning, we felt they had taken our leader away and I expected the dream to die,'' Pumphrey said. ``But as time went on, inspiring speeches like this encouraged us to work harder. His death opened our eyes. There's really a problem out there. He left it up to us.'' Approximately 300 rain-soaked marchers began the day's events by holding hands and interlocking interlocking /in·ter·lock·ing/ (-lok´ing) closely joined, as by hooks or dovetails; locking into one another. interlocking Obstetrics A rare complication of vaginal delivery of twins; the 1st arms for the traditional half-mile walk from Plaza Park at Fifth and C streets to the arts center. Pumphrey added a humorous light by interjecting the phrase, ``We'll march in the rain'' - sung to the tune of ``We Shall Overcome.'' Keynote speaker Daisy Davis-Cotton, a local poet and orator ORATOR, practice. A good man, skillful in speaking well, and who employs a perfect eloquence to defend causes either public or private. Dupin, Profession d'Avocat, tom. 1, p. 19.. 2. , reminded adults that the children in their arms may one day be society's leaders. ``God sent us a message through Martin,'' she said. ``We must teach our children they must work hard. We've got to get busy.'' Carole Lesnick, a 47-year-old Los Angeles resident, said she joined Monday's march for inspiration. ``I'm opposed to racism in society and people need to speak out,'' she said. ``The only way people can fight it is together.'' While others may have been envisioning a future presidency for Dan, he later said he wants to be an architect and is not sure what area of community service he will become involved in as an adult. ``I don't have any plans of what I want to do,'' he said. ``I'm just going to take it step by step. I'm just proud of what I did (Monday). If these words are used in the best way - coming from the heart - people will understand you and be moved by you.'' CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- 2 -- color) Members of the Martin Luther King Children's Choir, above, sing at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center on Monday. Some of the 1,000 in attendance started the day braving the rain participating in a march, top, marking King's 71st birthday. Lilly Barrett/Special to the Daily News |
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