Durham Mayor Bell's Remarks at MLK Observance at Duke

President Brodhead, members of the Duke University MLK Jr. program committee, and to all in attendance this evening and to our keynote speaker Ambassador Andrew Young, good afternoon.

 

 I am honored and appreciative to serve as mayor of the city of Durham, N.C., where we say good and great things are happening. This program this evening is an example of the good and great things that are happening in our community. I am particularly honored, on behalf of the citizens of Durham and the Durham City Council as Mayor of Durham, to stand here before each of you today as we take a moment to remember a man that opened the dialogue for change in our nation, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I am especially pleased that you have invited Ambassador Andrew Young, a disciple of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., to deliver the keynote address.

 

 We want to again thank Duke University and the leadership of President Richard Brodhead for its growing town-gown partnership and the continued inclusion of the Durham community in this annual Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. program. I especially want to thank President Brodhead for his leadership during his tenure as president. In my opinion he has provided balanced and exceptional leadership during what I am sure has been a very trying time for Duke University. The trying time of which I speak, is what has been called the Lacrosse incident, an incident which I don't think anyone could have imagined would garner the national media attention that it has attracted. This is an incident that has produced a lot of Monday morning quarterbacks. I don't know of anyone, given the parameters that were involved, who could have been any better prepared to handle this incident than President Brodhead. In my opinion as mayor of this city, he has made the right decisions at the right time given the information that he was provided.

 

 I gave considerable thought today before making any comments about this incident, primarily because so much has been said that I did not want to add anymore to all of the noise and chatter that has been generated.

 

 However on a day when we celebrate the birthday of MLK Jr. a person who believed in non-violence, a person who believed that "Injustice any where is a threat to justice everywhere," a person who said "We must learn to love together as brothers or perish together as fools," I thought as mayor of this city if the lacrosse incident can't be mentioned here and at this time and location, where is there anymore of an appropriate time and place?

 

 I continue to believe that following the judicial process is the best course of action to deal with this incident. In our system of justice persons are presumed innocent until proven otherwise. As a parent of 3 girls and a boy -- all young adults -- I do empathize with the parents of all the individuals involved in this incident on both sides of the case. I am sure that there are many lessons to be learned from this incident. But I say to our young people in particular, no matter what your position in life, no matter what your color or background, life is all about choices and depending on the choices you make, you can be led down different paths some resulting in not so pleasant experiences.

 

 It is interesting that the theme of this year's MLK program is, "Come to the Table." It struck me that Durham is well ahead of many of other communities in this regard. If there has ever been a community that has invited its community to "Come to the Table", it has been Durham N.C.

 

 In Durham we pride ourselves on our racial demographics or our racial diversity. Not only is it a sense of pride, it is a sense of strength. However some persons would have you believe that our demographics are a sign of racial divide and racism. As mayor of this city, I can say that those who believe this are wrong. We are a community that is openly tolerant of others' viewpoints and their right to express them. And in Durham our citizens are not afraid of expressing themselves and in fact we provide them many public forms to do just that.

 

 When I think of my city, I think of diversity, open-mindedness, history and pride. Don't get me wrong -- we have our differences. But in Durham, we struggle openly in a healthy microcosm of citizenship and democracy.

 

 As we greet the New Year, I have spent some time reflecting on 2006 and the trials and tribulations that have faced our community. Trials that would have torn other communities apart -- trials that are being faced courageously by the citizens of Durham.

 

You see, the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. are just as relevant today as they were close to 50 years ago. The past year in Durham reminds me of a quote by Dr. King that says, "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenges and controversy." How true this statement is for a community, also.

I believe our community faced the challenges and controversies of 2006 and showed its true grit. We showed the state and the nation that we can come to the table and never be silent about the things that matter. I'm not just talking about one headline-generating event such as the lacrosse incident. I'm talking about the challenges that face thousands of communities each year -- challenges Dr. King faced many years ago -- challenges that we still face today.

But, unlike many communities, in Durham we address these issues and challenges head-on, out in the open, for all to see. Now, this may give many who don't live here a negative impression of our community -- an impression of a community that's constantly in turmoil.

But I see it differently. I see Durham as a community that's unafraid to bring its issues out in the open to find solutions to our problems so we can all live together. Again, in the words of Dr. King, "We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools."

Whoever you are -- whatever your color, lifestyle, sexual preference, spiritual practice, economic class, attitude or education -- you have a home in Durham, a home where we all work together to make our community what we all want it to be -- a community that works openly, pinpoints its problems and finds workable solutions. A community that comes to the table.

Thank you for allowing me to share these brief words of greetings -- and thank you for your continued efforts to come to the table and make Durham the shining light for how a community survives media created perceived turmoil and comes through it stronger than ever. A community that would have made Dr. King proud.

Finally I would like to say to Ambassador Young -- Ambassador Young I know that you are very familiar with Durham and Duke and also being the former Mayor of the city of Atlanta, Ga., I am sure that you have presented many keys to the city. However, on behalf of the City of Durham, to officially welcome you to Durham, N.C., and as a token and symbolism of our appreciation I'd like to present you with a key to the city. ( If any of my colleagues on the City Council are present I would ask them to stand with me on the presentation of this key.)

Thank you, and God bless all of you.