What A Difference A Word Makes

Laurie Cohn Rosenthal
Mirror contributing writer

   After attending a moving Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration at First United Methodist Church I know my heart should be filled with only loving thoughts towards all of humanity. After hearing Father Michael Gutierrez give a moving talk, I know I should never let the annoying trivialities of life bother me. That said, I do have to bring to your attention something so absurd and so ridiculous it’s almost funny. And it does have something to do with the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.
   With the idea of honoring Dr. King, a plaque was ordered by the city of Lauderhill, Florida to honor actor James Earl Jones. The plaque was to be presented to the unique-voiced actor at the city’s annual Martin Luther King, Jr. commemoration. The plaque, made by Merit Industries in Georgetown, Texas was supposed to read, “Thank you James Earl Jones for keeping the dream alive.” Instead, the man who placed the order received a plaque that unbelievingly said, “Thank you James Earl Ray for keeping the dream alive.”
   Hello? Anyone home in the Lone Star State? How can anyone mistake James Earl “Darth Vader” Jones, James Earl “This Is CNN” Jones, for James Earl Ray, the bigoted murderer of Dr. King? How stupid can you be? Incredulously, the two actually have been mixed up before. During an NBA game in 1998 James Earl Jones’ death was erroneously reported when in fact it was James Earl Ray who had died.
   Don’t the people at Merit Industries proofread their work before they send it out? The president of the company offered a simple excuse. “We have a lot of people who don’t speak English. Accidentally, one of the girls who doesn’t know James Earl Jones from a man on the moon accidentally typed James Earl Ray.” Wouldn’t that be akin to having a truck driver who can’t drive? If you know one of your employees is weak in one area, and not knowing the language in an instance when you’re making plaques with English words on them seems to me to be rather weak, then have someone else do it. Or at least have someone else proofread it. Do something!
   How Ray is a typo for Jones is beyond me. The odds must be a zillion to one that someone would put Ray down for Jones, especially in this particular instance. I deal with the written word for a living, and typos are one unfortunate aspect of my life. Sure sometimes I might spell words incorrectly. I may leave out an “s” in Mississippi, or something like that. But I’ve never mistakenly written Senator Joe McCarthy when I meant Sir Paul McCartney, and believe you me, I deal with historical facts and figures constantly.
   I can’t help but think the whole episode has conspiracy theory written all over it, but there is no proof that is the case. Apparently the owner of Merit Industries didn’t think the problem was a big deal at all, which makes me wonder what kind of place Georgetown, Texas is. Of course it’s a big deal, and thoroughly insulting to the memory of the great Dr. King. We’re not talking about something that’s ancient history. He was assassinated several decades ago, a time recent enough for people to remember first-hand. I feel as though we’re doomed as a people, a nation, if we can’t even remember crucial events of modern history. This includes knowing names. All Americans should know Lee Harvey Oswald was reputed to have assassinated President Kennedy (and was then shot and killed by Jack Ruby), Sirhan Sirhan assassinated Robert Kennedy, and that James Earl Ray, not James Earl Jones assassinated Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
   Of course James Earl “Verizon” Jones took the high road and played down the mistake. “There’s no point in getting too sensitive about it,” he told the Lauderhill crowd. I guess not, but it sure made a lot of people very, very angry.
   Our local, North of Wilshire, celebration was tame by comparison. No controversies, just a lot of good music, a sense of community, and inspiring words. It’s impossible not to feel hopeful while singing “We Shall Overcome.” And now, in the wake of 9/11, Dr. King’s message of nonviolence should be listened to and heeded by people and countries around the world more than ever. We’ve seen the horror, destruction, and terror that hate creates. Though at times it may seem otherwise, it’s never too late to practice peace.
   Goodbye Uncle Jerry. May you find the peace in heaven that eluded you on earth. I love you.