Essay 730

Back to school with a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• The Sotheby’s auction is off. The Martin Luther King Jr. collection of papers and books (pictured above) will go to Morehouse College, thanks to the efforts of a group led by Atlanta mayor Shirley Franklin. The group reportedly bought it all for over $30 million. “I can’t imagine a better home than the home of Dr. King for this collection,” said a Sotheby’s official. “It was there for years, it’s going to be there forever. I think that’s a marvelous conclusion to this extraordinary process. It guarantees that it will be looked after properly and made available to the public.” It might have been interesting to watch the auction proceed. Wonder if Oprah or Diddy would have stepped forward to nab a few pieces.

• PETA is petitioning Webster’s Dictionary to revise the word “circus” to “animal cruelty.” A PETA member explained, “As more people become aware of the cruelty and violence that goes on behind the scenes [at circuses], the definition needs to be updated.” Not sure how kids will respond to Disney’s JoJo’s Animal Cruelty. Or how about Animal Cruelty du Soleil?

• The Border Patrol Academy in New Mexico is the place to be for wannabe agents, where cadets learn to shoot weapons, make vehicle stops and speak Spanish (pictured below). The training is not easy, as only 1 in 30 applicants successfully completes the program. There’s definitely material for a reality TV show or sitcom here.