National holiday

Today is a national holiday to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday but you sure would not know it by the silence in downtown Brooksville. A spokesman for the local NAACP had cited, the lack of funds for a parade permit and insurance, per the city of Brooksville requirements, was the reason no parade was scheduled this year. The only local activities to commemorate the day will be a fish fry at Kennedy Park this afternoon, followed by church services this evening. This quiet way to remember Dr. Martin Luther King, in lieu of the annual march up Main Street, is a sad reflection on our community.

The Brooksville City Council could not waive the insurance requirements due to a new amendment to the city charter voted in by the residents in November 2006. In a nutshell, this new amendment prevents the city council from waiving insurance requirements to outside organizations. On the surface, this amendment was a sound financial decision by the city voters but it has really hurt two local groups that have been active in past few years with community events, like the Martin Luther King Parade and the Veterans Appreciation Parade in November.

Here's a few suggestions for the Brooksville City Council as they set their agenda for the coming year. As they plan for some of the city functions like Founder's Week, please consider taking the Martin Luther King Parade and the Veterans Appreciation Parade under your wing (of the city) by officially sponsoring these two events. As you evaluate the tax dollars required to make the Founder's Week a success, please consider including the Martin Luther King Parade and the Veterans Appreciation Parade.

In the word's of Dr. Martin Luther King: "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter".