The son of Martin Luther King Jr. commemorated the anniversary of his father's famous "I Have A Dream" speech by calling for humane treatment of immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees.
While there, he spoke to members of Unified US Deported Veterans and VFP Sgt. Barrios Memorial Chapter 182 Baja Mexico through the inhumane fence at Friendship Park.
Co-Director and VFP Member Robert Vivar offers this reflection:
"It was an honor for R. King to pick friendship to conmemorate his father's speech, due to the grave human rights violations our families are suffering due to racist hateful politics that the late Dr. King fought so peacefully hard to abolish. Keeping our most beloved, treasure our children in cages, is intolerable under any circumstances.
It was an Honor for my self representing Unified US Deported Veterans and VFP Sgt. Barrios Memorial Chapter 182 Baja Mexico, to have shared a few words with Dr. King..
Asking Dr. King to help us unite, Afro-American with Hispanics to fight together the evils of hate and racism, uniting us all as children of God."
See Martin Luther King, III's speech at Friendship Park from the San Diego Union-Tribune
Sgt Barrios Memorial Chapter #986 in Baja Mexico has joined the campaign to restore "Friendship Park"!
Friendship Park is a historic meeting place, overlooking the Pacific Ocean on the US-Mexico border, where generations of people from Mexico and the United States have gathered in a spirit of friendship. Designed to unite the people of the two countries, at its center sits a bi-national circular plaza, created in a single pour of cement, and a monument marking the end of the US-Mexico War.
Sadly, Friendship Park is now marred by a wall covered in thick metal mesh, prohibiting virtually all physical contact:
- families are not allowed to hug, even after years of separation;
- members of the public find it almost impossible to get to know each other;
- access is restricted to short, prison-like “visiting hours,” on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.