"A river flows through Saratoga carrying the memories, wisdom, faith and courage of people who shaped the city before, and it flows down to its inhabitants now, reminding them that they do not stand in this river alone. This was the main metaphor the Rev. Michael-Ray Mathews, multi-faith leader, community organizer and author, got across in his speech on the steps of Saratoga City Hall for Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday."
"Erik Swanson, a pastor at Westhope Presbyterian Church, introduced Mathews at the event and stressed the need to continue this tradition. Swanson talked about how King, who used nonviolent methods to advocate for Civil Rights, was described as an "enemy combatant" and "domestic terrorist," mirroring the language being used by government officials against those protesting violent immigration enforcement. "Those things are used to diminish, are used to undercut," Swanson said. "And hopefully here in Saratoga...we can be about something better than that.""
A river metaphor conveyed that memories, wisdom, faith and courage of past residents flow through Saratoga and remind inhabitants they are not alone. The metaphor urged the community to confront and heal from racism and exclusion. King's crossroads question — "Where do we go from here—chaos or community?" — was invoked to emphasize an urgent communal choice. Local resistance to large housing developments and exclusionary attitudes were cited, including a neighbor comment, "Those people can't come in here." Concerns were raised about rhetoric labeling nonviolent advocates as "enemy combatants" or "domestic terrorists," and the necessity of embodying different attitudes to change racism was affirmed.
Read at The Mercury News
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