Curry delights at banquet honoring More

George E. Curry, editor-in-chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service and BlackPressUSA.com, kept his audience laughing with a series of humorous stories during last Friday's Black History Banquet in Mountain Home, but in between his funny stories he offered a serious message about the importance of personal responsibility in the lives of all Americans.

"It doesn't matter where you start, only where you end up," he told the capacity crowd at the Hampton Inn who attended the 18th annual banquet put on by the Mountain Home Community Black History Committee.

The keynote speaker at the banquet, which honored Rosella More as the committee's Person of the Year, Curry's speech was part history lesson and part warning for the future.

"We have struggled as a nation to have our principles and our ideals match our actions," he said, noting that "Jefferson wrote some wonderful words, but he enslaved 300 people.

"We are a nation of contradictions."

When he grew up, in Tuscaloosa, Ala., he had to ride in the back of the bus. But because individuals like Rosa Parks "stood up (for us) by sitting down" in the front of the bus, the lives of not just black Americans, but all the underpriviledged in the country have been improved.

The Civil Rights Act, for example, not only empowered the nation's African-Americans, it also formed the basis of the law that empowered women as well, he pointed out.

Curry said it was important to separate the truth from lies when describing the nation's history to young people today. Affirmative action, he said, was a good example. It was not a quota system, he said, as it has often been described, "because first and foremost, you must be qualified" for college or a job before any affirmative action laws can be applied. He also noted that in a key affirmative action case involving scoring for college entrance, the scoring system "gave 20 points to a black person, but also 20 points to any disadvantaged white person, and 20 points for athletes" at the school, "some of which weren't too bright," he added.

"But because we are a race-centric society," it was the preferential treatment for blacks that was focused upon. "I don't want you to be color blind," he told the audience composed of most of the ethnic groups in Mountain Home, "I want you to see me." Just don't discriminate based on color, he said.

He stressed the need for education, for people of all races to become qualified for the opportunities available. By the year 2020, he said, it is estimated that 14 million jobs in the United States will go unfilled because the skills required will need a college education, but there won't be enough college graduates.

It is up to each and every individual, he said, to seek their highest potential, and falling back on crutches such as saying they failed because they were disadvantaged or came from a broken home, is an excuse, not a reason for failure. He offered a lengthy list of American heroes and leaders who overcame broken homes, alcoholics in their family and extreme poverty to raise to prominence.

"You can do anything you set your mind to do," he said.

"Life is about choices (and) you have to chose that you are going to excel in everything you do."

Curry's speech wasn't the only highlight of the evening.

In addition to the honor given More for her years of service to the community, the committee presented its Thurgood Marshall award to Molly Marsh for community service, and handed out three lifetime Martin Luther King, Jr., awards to three individuals "who have made a difference" in the community, Rev. Harold Henderson, Anne Joseph, and Claire Wetherell.

Also honored during the banquet were the winners of the poster and essay contests from the local schools.

Tamia Williams placed first in the poster contest, followed by Micheal Thomas in second and Mallory Irving in third.

Deion Brown was first in the essay contest, followed by Princess Young in second.

Col. Jerry Whitely, commander of the 366th Maintenance Group at Mountain Home AFB, also was asked to give some brief remarks, with emcee Joe B. McNeal noting that Whitely was one of the highest ranking blacks ever stationed at the airbase.

But Whitely was typically humble in accepting that honor, noting that "all I've done is try to live up to the hopes and dreams of all those who went before me. I've just gone forward on the path you blazed."

He thanked the community for its support, noting that "Mountain Home and Idaho is a special place and I am grateful for the opportunity to be here. I know wherever I go, my life will have been enriched for having been here."

The theme of this year's banquet was "From Slavery to Freedom: Blacks in America and Idaho."