40th anniversary of Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr

I went to the 40^th anniversary of Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK). I went to pay respect to this great man. As a non-violent peace advocator, he strived and gave his life for the betterment of his people. Through out the history of United States the non-white minorities have been ignored, neglected and persecuted. Blacks, as one of these minorities, were used to fuel the economy of this nation as it emerged from a British colony to a world superpower.

Blacks were freed from slavery based on the US constitution in 1863. It has taken them a continuous struggle to have the freedom and the rights that they have today. During World War II many black solders fought at the battlefronts of Europe.

They fought for freedom as the war propaganda and their generals advertised it. At the end of the war, they came back as Heroes who has put their lives at risk to grant the French freedom! Once back in US they faced prosecution and racism. An awakening movement started during this era. As the highlight of the movement, MLK in the sixties preached a struggle of non-violence from Atlanta Georgia.


MLK's resting place and remembrance service

Remembrance of his assassination 40 years later in Atlanta was held at his final resting place at the MLK center. Many Atlanta dignitaries were present including King’s family. They spoke of the importance of civil rights of all men. Rights and freedom is for all Humans not just one race, nation or religion. I as a Kurd can identify with this cause. Growing up in Kurdistan and especially living abroad, I learned to see the double standard treatment of Kurds by not only our oppressors but by many “democratic” nations of the world. To notice the injustice, a Kurd must first learn how to feel equal to its surrounding people and nations. This is a task much more complicated than the single sentence that has described it. We have been persecuted for so long that we tend to mistake an end to a war or torture for equality! Equality means equal to others. Equality is to be treated and given opportunity like other people or nations. Kurds don’t have equal rights any where in the world. As a nation without a country, we are a people without backing. We must rely on our own for the advancement of our people. In Kurdistan where majority of Kurds live Kurds are persecuted and treated with a double standard. All of our neighbors impose their national and religious believes on us. When we ask and say, I want to be Kurdish they label us as separatist, racist, terrorist…etc. This is true not only in Turkey but in Iran, Syria and Iraq. We have a Kurdish government in Iraq known as KRG. It is our only hope and joy. Kurds from all parts of Kurdistan and all cities of exile turn to that government. As the only official government of Kurds, we expect them to do everything for us. With their shortcomings, we get angry and frustrated because just like blacks we have been waiting for our rights for the passed 100 years. We expect our government to deliver it to us now and fast!


Joe and my friend Ariel Santiago

The most important lesson from visiting MLK’s gravesite, hearing the 40^th remembrance ceremony and talking to different people wasn’t from the dignitaries nor the keynote speakers. The lesson I got was from a nice and elderly man. This man in name of Joe was either homeless or close to be homeless. Clearly, he was a man forgotten by the system and society.

Joe has lived on the same street as we met him two blocks down from MLK center for the past 60 years. MLK’s church, house, and barbershop are all on the same street. Joe told us about the difficult days in the 60s. Those days that they could not go to Peachtree Street, just to blocks up, because it wasn’t for Niggas. The University that I attended, down the road, was also white only. Joe never got an education because for a poor black man at those days it was too difficult. There was only a hand full of schools for the colored people and the cost of living was too high for most young blacks of that era to attend. Joe told us during the civil rights movement when MLK used to walk up and down these streets. Joe used to have a job where he earned one dollar a day! He has marched with MLK and Joe still shares his story of those rough days.

In middle of his talk, Joe was complaining about today’s attitude. Joe said, “Young Niggas today just wanna jump on top of the table and get all they want! They don’t realize that they have to start with cleaning the bottom first then work their way up to the top”! Joe made the comment based on his own experience and a group of people and a struggle that he is a part of. His comment actually is universal. It is for all people who were oppressed and now have some rights. What Joe said; applies to Kurds 100%.

Same pattern can be seen in our community and among our own young. With southern Kurdistan (Iraqi-Kurdistan) being partially free we expect everything to happen in matter of months. Kurdistan has been a war zone for the passed 100 years; we were oppressed and held back by our enemies. It takes a lot of work many resources and a lot of time to bring Kurdistan to modern standards. Kurdistan has progressed since 2003 in an exponential rate, so has the Kurdish people that live under those territories. Some progressed more than others did but nonetheless as a nation, we are developing and progressing.

To bring Kurdistan to a modern standard it takes work not just from KRG, and their employees or leaders. It is a struggle that we must all be involved with. We must all work together each from our side to help deliver our nation out of the injustice and the double standard treatment to a nation in equality. True sense of equality comes from with in. We must all be leaders and initiators in this struggle for perseverance. On this remembrance, please take a moment to reflect on yourself. Reflect on the treatment that you allow others to give you. True equality is non-hostile and non-violent; true equality comes with a high degree of self-respect and self-recognition as an individual and as a Kurd!