[1/17/05]Too few black Mississippians are trying to combat the dangers they face today, a state senator from Cleveland said here this morning.

Sen. Willie Simmons, D-Cleveland, told several hundred people at the 16th annual Martin Luther King Jr. memorial breakfast that progress has been made toward racial equality since the civil rights leader was slain in 1968.

“I also stand to sound an alarm,” he said. “And I sound the alarm to black Americans. The alarm is to warn us that an evil wind that is full of troubles for the black race is moving. The alarm is to remind us that although we are making federal, state and local laws, our people are not protected from the evil changes in public policy.

“These evil changes have brought on tort reform, inadequate funding for Medicaid and education that will result in poor, disabled and senior citizens being denied a quality and affordable health care and an adequate education for our children. And, ladies and gentlemen, we are silent.”

While noting the increased participation by black Mississippians in government, who number more than 900 in elective office, Simmons also commented briefly on Vicksburg city politics.

He noted that Vicksburg has a former black mayor, Robert Walker.

“Now something about my saying former,’ because you all here in Vicksburg and Warren County have got to get your act together because it doesn’t seem like you like the progress that you all have made here.”

Simmons added that, “the dream Dr. King had was not for us to backslide when we’re moving forward, but for us to continue moving forward.”

Simmons urged black Mississippians who have achieved comfortable positions not to forget others in the race who have not.

“We just get to be glad to be where we are,” he said. “We aren’t concerned about taking care of people; we just become concerned about maintaining the rapport, the relationships” that keep them where they are.

“We hear our people crying for help and we say, It’s their thing. Let them make it on their own,'” Simmons said.

He also mentioned problems of illegal drug use, crime, teen pregnancy and AIDS and said they are threats to all blacks no matter where they live.

“It doesn’t matter whether you live in the better or worse part of the community; your community can be destroyed,” he said, adding that political apathy was “helping (those problems) to destroy our future.”

Simmons also commented on the view he said blacks should take toward racial identity.

“You are a sister and a brother first, and you must never forget it,” he told the crowd. “I’m not advocating you not work with other parts of the community. But if you don’t take care of (other less-fortunate black people) who will?”

More activities:The communitywide program to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is set for 1 p.m. today at Vicksburg Municipal Auditorium. George A. Williams, vice president of operations at Entergy’s Grand Gulf Nuclear Station in Port Gibson, is the keynote speaker. At 5:30 p.m., the public will gather at a monument honoring Dr. King on Martin Luther King Drive for the lighting of the tiki torch