El Paso County's curious MLK tribute...

http://coloradopols.com/diary/40209/el-paso-countys-curious-mlk-tribute#more-40209

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UPDATE: We just received this statement from Rosemary Harris Lytle, President of the NAACP-Colorado-Montana-Wyoming State Conference:

This is a day the NAACP and others around the world observe as a day of peace, a day of remembrance, a day of dedication to non-violence–the anniversary of Dr. King's assassination. Like too many of our greatest leaders, Dr. King was killed by a gun; a high-powered weapon. We mourn the moment 45 years ago when he was felled on that balcony. We rededicate ourselves in his honor to ending gun violence and promoting gun control. Shame on the El Paso County Commission for using the anniversary of his death as a political opportunity instead of an opportunity to end the plague of gun deaths and gun injustice in this state and country.

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Now folks, it should be noted that tonight is the night of the Friends of the NRA's annual fundraiser dinner, which is what prompted the El Paso County commissioners to approve this resolution designating today "Friends of NRA Day." At tonight's NRA fundraiser auction, a number of guns will be available, including (see right) a .30-06 bolt action rifle.

And again, we can't ascribe anything more than coincidence to the fact that Martin Luther King was killed by a .30-06 rifle.

We have no doubt that the El Paso County Commission will claim ignorance of today's significance, and we have to allow for the possibility that they were not aware they were declaring the 45th anniversary of MLK's death "Friends of NRA Day." And even if they were aware, it's entirely possible that they would not consider it to be a problem.

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