"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
Martin Luther King, April 16, 1963
While the world is celebrating Martin Luther King Day, I'd like to make mention of another fallen black leader from Miami, Arthur E. Teele. While his alleged misdeeds towards the end of his career reflected him in a poor light, I think it's important that we remember his achievements for the community he represented as well. This movie sums up his final days leading up to his suicide pretty well, if you have an hour to kill, it's worth watching. You can see it in it's entirety here.
Considering the crimes that some of our local leaders have been accused of committing lately, does the relentless pursuit of Teele by the media and law enforcement that lead to his suicide seem fair in retrospect? I think the artist that painted Teele's memorial mural, Addonis Parker, said it best...
"Sometimes you're in a game you don't even know you're playing. Teele may have been uncouth or in question, but so many others only get a slap on the wrist while we [African-Americans] always get the rough end of the mop."
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