MLK Day: Pastor stresses ‘urgency of speaking truth to power’

Speakers at a morning Martin Luther King Jr. Day gathering in Hauppauge alluded Monday to a difficult political climate for civil rights and urged hundreds celebrating the iconic leader’s legacy to keep pushing for the downtrodden.

The Rev. Charles Coverdale, senior pastor of The First Baptist Church of Riverhead, said “the urgency of speaking truth to power has never been more important or apparent” to protect the gains of struggles for equal rights and to address present challenges.

“As Dr. King said, our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter,” said Coverdale, the memorial breakfast’s committee chair.

“Let us be mindful that our democracy matters; the rule of law matters; our constitution matters; equal treatment under the law matters; human rights matter; decency and truth matter; our shared destiny as those who live on this planet matters,” he said. “Today, let us remember that in times like these, the drumbeat of justice matters more than ever.”

About 600 people attended the event at the Hyatt Regency Long Island, held annually, with community leaders, politicians and honorees extolling the vision for a more just society that King proclaimed across the United States in the drive for civil rights.

It was among an array of events — parades, concerts, interfaith celebrations and community-service drives — taking place across Long Island on the federal holiday that marks King’s birthday, held each year on the third Monday of January.

Elected officials from both the Democratic and Republican parties were at the breakfast.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone addressed the crowd with a message of inclusiveness for people of all races and immigrants in the county, vowing to continue “the fight for what is right, for what is good.”

His recognition of Errol Toulon Jr., the newly elected county sheriff who is the first African-American in that position, drew a standing ovation.

So did Coverdale’s expression of solidarity with Brookhaven Councilmember Valerie Cartright, who is Haitian-American, as a rebuke of demeaning comments reportedly made last week by President Donald Trump about immigrants from Haiti and other nations.

Toulon, in a brief interview, said that he and other black politicians would not be in office if not for the civil rights milestones reached by King. He said he hopes to be mindful of King’s work as he seeks to improve “the treatment and fairness and equity of those who are incarcerated” and are looking to return to society.

The memorial breakfast featured hymns and prayers, including an invocation for “a legacy and a dream, without prejudice, hatred, bias and injustice.”

Chip Williford, of Mastic Beach, said the event was “awesome” and encouraging.

“I’m taking from today’s message that we all have something to give and we should all be thankful for what we have,” Williford said. “The community of blacks, whites, Hispanics and other nationalities, we all have to work together to make this world a better place.”