Posted by Doug Draper, publisher, Niagara At Large
January 18th, 2016
Each Martin Luther King Day – a day each January that Americans and others around the world are asked to remember one of the most stirring and courageous voices for human rights for the past 100 years – I like to share a fitting quotation from this great individual, who would have turned 87 this past January 15th and who is being honoured in gatherings across North America this Monday, January 18th.
Martin Luther King Jr.
This quotation is one I found in a blog posted by a young person named Kayle Lunde who lives and works in Washington D.C. It is a particularly relevant statement from the American civil rights leader given so many of the questions and concerns – along with some very ugly words and actions – expressed across North America as we contront a Syrian refugee crisis of historic proportions.
That quotation, followed by some reflections (in which you can just as well substitute the word Canadian for American if you live north of the border)on it by Kayle Lunde, goes like this –
“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.” – Martin Luther King
(From Kayle Lunde) – “Unless you’re 100 percent Native American, this land is not yours.
American roots are planted in Europe, Latin America, Africa and so on.
Although we are quick to present ourselves as Americans and immigrants as immigrants, we must put our pasts into perspective.
Our ancestors struggled to create the American Dream for not only themselves, but future generations.
As refugees from all parts of the world fight for not only a better life, but for safety, we should remember that our own ancestors were once the outcasts or refugees who created the America we live in today.”
The above comes from a recent post titled ‘10 Martin Luther King Quotes We Can Stil Learn From Today’ by Kayla Lunde @lunde_kayla
Or click on – http://elitedaily.com/users/klunde/
NOW IT IS YOUR TURN. Niagara At Large encourages you to share your views on this post. A reminder that we only post comments by individuals who share their first and last name with them.
Visit Niagara At Large at www.niagaraatlarge.com for more news and commentary for and from the greater bi-national Niagara region.
Niagara At Large 
Americans may have forgotten that they are the descendants of immigrants but Canadians should remember quite easily that many of us descend from refugees:
– Champlain was looking to found a colony as refuge for the Protestant Huguenots.
– 5,000,000 of us are descendants of the Loyalists who lost the American Revolution, were driven out of their 100-yr-old family farms in the 13 colonies and started over in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Lower Canada (Quèbec) and Upper Canada (Ontario). The Yanks still haven’t paid us compensation – they broke their first treaty.
– This included the Loyalist Six Nations allies of George III who were given a Crown grant of 6 miles of land on both sides of the Grand River from mouth to source.
– The same likely applies to other First Nations who migrated north after the glaciers left ~10,000 years ago, chased from their traditional areas by stronger tribes, but daring to move into a harsher landscape.
Since then, Canada has welcomed people from across the world, some fleeing, some looking for a better life, some adventurous. Each new group has raised mostly legitimate concerns in the established Canadians, but the newcomers have mostly come aboard and made us better.
Our job as existing Canadians is to involve newcomers in our daily lives, welcome them into our homes & businesses, and explain to them our long history of mistakes and battles and geography and kindnesses that have formed our courtesy & generosity. This comes from the First Nations who welcomed the Europeans, and from the French & British seeking wealth, religious & economic freedom from the tyranny of the upper classes (think of the gift of Magna Carta 800 years ago). The Queen of Canada is also the Queen of the U.K. to help us remember where we walked. Our bilingual country remembers what we also owe to French ancestors, and we are working hard to right the wrongs done to the First Nations who welcomed the Europeans.
LikeLike