King would advise Obama to strive for peace, pupils say

Yaheysi Leon Lopez (right) and Joke' Jolaoso at the Ford School. (Robert Spencer)

At the Robert L. Ford School in Lynn, middle schoolers wrote essays about what advice Rev. Martin Luther King would give President-elect Barack Obama. What follows are some thoughts from students about how they view the two African-American leaders, and their hopes for the new president.

Maria Escalona, 14 "He made Martin Luther King's dream come true. He actually stood up for the black [people]. And he became the first president, and like, in the past, blacks were not able to do a lot of things as now. . . . That's why I think he made his dream come true."

Edward Nirello, 14 "He'll [Obama] end up in our children's textbooks for history."

Brendon Amirault, 13 "I think [Obama's inauguration] is a positive thing for this country. Because, just like, 50 years ago, there were so many racist people in this country. It just goes to show you how that black people could go from feeling so . . . degraded, I guess is a good word for it, to now there's a president. It just shows how much we've changed."

Danny Suarez, 12 "I think he has to think about the economy, 'cause right now, we're facing some problems in the US. We're not really doing so well. . . . Someone in my family lost their job."

Elizabeth Collette, 11 "Martin Luther King worked for peace. I think that [Obama] should bring together countries that are at war, and countries that are not at war, so that the US will not have enemies."

Kevin Landaverde, 12 "People were saying he [Obama] wasn't born in America. They were saying he was born in Kenya. He was unfairly criticized. It made me think about how Martin Luther King got criticized and disrespected."

Kevin Deblas, 12 "Martin Luther King would probably say to Obama you have been elected to be president, but not just to black people, but to people of all races. . . . That tells you something that he would say about equality."

Joké Jolaoso, 12

"Right now, America is not in good shape. . . . Basically, Obama is really stepping into a big mess. He really is."

Yaheysi Leon Lopez, 11 "Martin Luther King, as everyone knows, changed the world. . . . Sadly, he died. . . . If he were still alive, he'd tell Obama to work for peace and unity."

Compiled by Kathy McCabe