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January 20, 2006
Day of "Inclusion" Did Not Include HCDP
Guest Blogged by Melissa Taylor, Excecutive Director, HCDP
The media billed this year's Martin Luther King, Jr. Grande Parade held on Monday, January 16th in downtown Houston as an event of "inclusion." Charles Stamps, Executive Director of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade Foundation, was under court order to collaborate with the Black Heritage Society, another parade organization who organized past MLK parades. Unfortunately, the media did not cover the story about Stamps denying the Harris County Democratic Party (HCDP) the opportunity to participate in the celebration of one of our nation's greatest civil rights leaders.
Throughout the days leading up to the event, Stamps showed reluctance in the HCDP’s participation. He claimed the participants marching with the HCDP in previous years did not follow the parade’s strict guidelines prohibiting the endorsements of political candidates and what Stamps referred to as ‘electioneering.’ Melissa Taylor, the Executive Director of HCDP, assured him that she would attend the parade and monitor the participants closely to ensure that all participants followed the parade’s rules. Although Stamps initially agreed to allow HCDP to participate in the parade, he regrettably reversed his decision several times over the next few days. Despite the tireless efforts of Ms. Taylor, Houston City Councilman Ron Green and his aide Kassaye B. Kassaye, and telephone calls from many local Democratic office holders, Stamps made the final decision to exclude the Harris County Democratic Party in the parade late Sunday night.
Other community groups were denied the opportunity to participate in the parade, as well. For example, Stamps spurned a group that marched in the MLK Parade with Martin Luther King, Sr. in 1978 in celebration the parade’s inaugural year in Houston.
The Party wishes to thank all Democrats and Democratic organizations who volunteered to march in honor of Dr. King. Special thanks go to Houston City council member Ron Green and his council aide Kassaye B. Kassaye for their tireless efforts on behalf of the Democratic Party. We thank the many Democratic office holders who made calls to Stamps on the Party’s behalf—there are too many to name. In addition, several Democratic office holders and candidate withdrew from the MLK Parade as a sign of solidarity with their Party. These brave Democrats include: Dr. Alma Allen, State Representative for District 131, Ron Green, Houston City council member, and James G. Pierre, candidate for Harris County Clerk.
The Houston Chronicle and Channel 11, which broadcast the parade, are probably not aware of the exclusion of the Harris County Democratic Party. It is a sad day when an organization whose mission mirrors Dr. King’s vision for inclusiveness and civic empowerment is denied their opportunity to express those sentiments to the community.
Posted by Lyn Wall at January 20, 2006 02:55 PM | Permalink
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Comments
If it is true that the democrats in 2005 tried to politicize the parade, then it is only right that they were denied the right to march in the MLK parade this year. The people who crossed the barrier and did what they were not suppose to do should be penalized, and censored. I am a Democrate but we must obey the laws and rules of the parade, and not try to inflict our political views in this kind of event.
Posted by: Dawn Katz at January 22, 2006 11:24 AM
We darn well have every right to "inflict" our political views on this kind of event. What would MLK have said or done? It's even worse than you think.
Two years ago, the Howard Dean campaign paid more than $400 for the right to march in Stamps' for-profit MLK parade. In our naivete, we were unaware that there were two competing parades. But we were accepted, and part of the lineup. We were in the parade -- for about 5 minutes.
Charles Stamps kicked us out. Right there in the middle of the parade, he singled us out and forced us to leave, in front of thousands of people. The reason? No "political" entries in the parade. Excuse me! What ever made me think that Martin Luther King had anything to do with politics?
What made it outrageious was Stamps' hypocrisy: even as he spoke, the Al Green for Congress float went driving by -- and a Sharpton truck not far behind.
I say boycott the parade. It is racist, divisive, and a profit machine. As far as I can tell, it goes against everything Martin Luther King ever stood for.
Posted by: Dalicious at January 23, 2006 01:43 PM