Diverse Dreams Meet at King March, Rally

Bearing balloons and banners espousing causes as diverse as gay rights and opposition to apartheid, thousands of people marched through downtown Los Angeles Saturday afternoon to mark the 20th anniversary of the death of Martin Luther King Jr.

“Human Care! Not Warfare!” marchers chanted as they passed Skid Row on their walk from Pershing Square to the City Hall lawn where they participated in a rally with a taste of the 1960s--calls to activism, folk songs and the sidewalk sale of tie-dyed T-shirts.

The rally was sponsored by Coalition ‘88, a group of more than 180 activist organizations pushing for voter registration and a wide range of social and political causes in the election year. And although peace, love and brotherhood were catch phrases of the day, it was not without discord.

The event drew controversy last week when several prominent religious leaders backed out because a wide-ranging “progressive agenda” included support of the Palestine Liberation Organization, abortion rights and other controversial causes. Although the events went smoothly, police reported that a group of about 10 protesters on the sidewalk jeered a contingent of marching PLO supporters shortly after the procession left Pershing Square at noon. But the confrontation was only verbal.

Organizers said they were pleased with the turnout, estimated by police at 7,500. They said the pullout by some religious leaders--including Roman Catholic Archbishop Roger M. Mahony, Rabbis Allen J. Freehling and Harvey J. Fields and Episcopal Bishop Oliver B. Garver Jr.--did not hamper the events.

But the missing clergy did not go without mention.

“The religious leadership that is not afraid of controversy is with you today,” Father Luis Olivares, pastor of Our Lady Queen of Angels Church and a co-chairman of the event, told the cheering City Hall crowd. “The religious leadership that knows that in a pluralistic society there are going to be differences of opinion . . . is with you today.”

Mayor Tom Bradley, whose participation was briefly in question, arrived as scheduled to welcome the crowd at City Hall, where he proclaimed that “the spirit of Martin Luther King lives on. . . .”

“Martin would have been proud of all of you today,” said the mayor, who referred to King by his first name throughout his short talk. “You carry on his mission. You carry on his spirit.”

All Colors, Backgrounds

For many present Saturday, that spirit took on a modern and diverse meaning. They came from all colors and backgrounds. The signs alone told the story: “Neither Skid Row, Nor Death Row,” “Win Jesse Win,” “Test Ban Now,” “ERA,” “U.S. Out of Central America,” “Economic Trade--Not Military Aid.”

Although support for specific presidential candidates was not discussed, the Rev. Jesse Jackson clearly was the crowd’s favorite. Many wore Jackson T-shirts and buttons, and Tim Carpenter, a Jackson field organizer, served as a press spokesman for the march.

In a speech before the march, Father Olivares told the group that they were a patchwork quilt of minorities who formed “a massive majority. We are said to be out of the mainstream. Yet we are the mainstream.”

Shawn Kinney of North Hollywood said he was marching in favor of giving homosexuals greater religious freedom. “As a Christian and as a human being, regardless of my sexuality, I’m allowed to have certain rights and I feel deprived of those,” said Kinney, who accompanied a group from the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches.

Marge Hinds of West Los Angeles, who is a Peace and Freedom Party candidate for the 43rd District Assembly seat, said her platform is “U.S. out of all countries--to not give military aid to any country.”

Guatemala Cause

Jose Carlos Lara said he was marching against human rights abuses in Guatemala. He dragged three black coffins behind him.

And Robby Stanfield, who traveled the route on a skateboard, said he was marching against the general state of things. “I don’t know,” he sighed. “It’s just everything that’s happening right now. Somebody’s got to do something about the way the whole world is going.”

There were also those who protested the march. Glenn Benjamin of Placentia, with a group called Christian Patriots, stood across the street from City Hall shouting “Repent Communist Dupes!” as the crowd walked past.

And there were others, such as Wendell Bartree, 42, formerly of New York and now unemployed and homeless in Los Angeles, who watched from the sidelines. The thousands passed him by as he waited for lunch to be served at the Union Rescue Mission.

“I think it’s great when a group of people try to save humanity,” he said, as a Jackson campaign worker tried to register him to vote.