Andrew Young, co-worker and confidant of Martin Luther King, Jr., spoke Sunday to a crowded Duke Chapel as the keynote speaker for the University's 18th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration. Young, a former congressman, mayor and ambassador, discussed the importance of King's mission and the continued necessity of "coming to the table" to discuss issues of race.
Introduced by James Joseph, professor of the practice of public policy, as an "authentic American hero," Young focused on the changing dynamic of the "triple evils" of racism, poverty and war, which he attributed to globalization and modernization. He emphasized the need for nonviolence and education as a means for fighting injustice and ignorance.
"Nonviolence will work here on any and every issue and it will work everywhere," Young said. "Unless you believe in that possibility, you're doomed to a life of cynicism and frustration."
Young used examples from his upbringing and relationship with King to illustrate his development as a political activist. He pointed to his father as being especially influential.
"[My] father refused to be angry, refused to be bitter at white supremacy. He said, 'Hatred is too great a burden to make. Don't get mad, get smart. If you get angry in a fight, you lose the fight,'" Young said. "He was preparing me for the nonviolence of MLK."
He added that King never claimed to be able to abolish racism, poverty or war and instead strived to bring people together to discuss those issues.
"He said that we can break down these barriers that make one group artificially superior and another group artificially inferior," Young said. "And when we break down those barriers, we can come together as brothers and sisters and together we have the opportunity to resolve any problem."
Young pointed to globalization as a motivation for society to change its approach to racism, poverty and war. Acknowledging the increasing integration of the modern world, Young said he sees a need to understand the complexity of the world in order to better address its problems.
"If we are to end poverty in North Carolina, we have to consider poverty in China and India," Young said. "We are part of a global economy whether we like it or not. The world is flat."
With globalization, Young added that King's adage, "A threat to injustice anywhere is a threat to injustice everywhere," is now a reality. He said this reality requires everyone to come to the table to discuss issues together in hopes of ending the "triple evils."
"We can't give up on the possibilities of peace, we can't give up on the ending of poverty," Young said. "That's the message of MLK-that freedom is a constant struggle and that what we are trying to do is work out the mechanisms so that we can work without violence for generations yet unborn."
Audience members reacted positively to Young's remarks and said his treatment of modern issues like poverty and globalization was necessary and accurate.
"I thought it was wonderful," said Tim O'Shea, a graduate student in public policy studies. "I really felt that Ambassador Young is good in terms of touching on those issues that really don't get touched on because of political correctness or for whatever reasons."
The commemorative ceremony also featured speeches from President Richard Brodhead, Durham Mayor Bill Bell and Dr. Victor Dzau, chancellor for health affairs and president and CEO of the Duke University Health System. Gospel choirs, a dance troupe and a closing candle-lighting ceremony rounded out the proceedings.
"It was great," said Lynn Clark, a Duke health employee. "I enjoyed everything about it."
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