Plaque Has Name of MLK's Killer/MSNBC Apologizes for THEIR Misspelling

CrimsonTide4 · #1 01-16-2002, 12:36 PM

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2002Jan16.html

The Associated Press
Wednesday, January 16, 2002; 5:04 AM

LAUDERHILL, Fla. –A plaque intended to honor deep-voiced actor James Earl Jones at this city's Martin Luther King Jr. celebration instead is erroneously inscribed to James Earl Ray, King's killer.

"Thank you James Earl Ray for keeping the dream alive," reads the plague, which has prompted outrage among civil leaders.

The plaque, to be presented at Lauderhill's annual King celebration Saturday, was made by Texas-based Merit Industries at the request of Adpro, a Lauderhill-based business.

But instead of thanking Jones, the plaque erroneously honors Ray, who shot and killed King in 1968.

"It had an immediate chill. It was eerie," said Adpro owner Gerald Wilcox, 43, as he showed the plaque displaying words that, he said, "deeply hurt."

Wilcox said he knew the error didn't come from his company, but he sent a company secretary searching through order forms, just to be sure.

The plaque features a 15-cent stamp of King and stamps of six other famous African-Americans, including Harriet Tubman, W.E. B. DuBois and Paul Laurence Dunbar.

The finished product arrived Monday and, even without seeing it, officials in this Fort Lauderdale suburb were angry.

"It's a real outrage," Commissioner Margaret Bates told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "To confuse James Earl Jones with James Earl Ray ... Just think of the significance."

Jones is a Tony-Award winning actor who provided the voice for Darth Vader from "Star Wars" and Mufasa from "The Lion King."

Merit's owner, Herbert Miller, called the mistake a copy error, not a slur.

"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," said Miller, who offered to correct the plaque if Adpro returns it.

Wilcox accused Miller's company of being "culturally insensitive" and is having the damage repaired locally so it will be ready Saturday.

© 2002 The Associated Press

mccoyred · #2 01-16-2002, 12:53 PM

I don't buy the blame being put on a non-English speaking employee (can we say profiling?). If this was someone's idea of a sick joke, it ain't funny!

ladygreek · #3 01-16-2002, 02:39 PM

OMG!!!!!!!!

MsOnyx · #4 01-16-2002, 02:49 PM

I don't care what language you speak. If you are copying something, you copy it. I could understand a typo. You cannot CONFUSE Jones with Ray. "culturally insensitive" I agree.

Steeltrap · #5 01-16-2002, 02:55 PM

Reading this story, I'm reminded of Deliverance, a movie about ignorant hillbillies.

Having Latino workers is no acceptable excuse. But I bet that no Blacks are employed at the company, so there was no "quality control" at work.

Cue Dueling Banjos, please.

kiml122 · #6 01-16-2002, 03:03 PM

WTH

12dn94dst · #7 01-16-2002, 03:54 PM

typo my eye

carolyne · #8 01-16-2002, 04:28 PM

That the president would even try to place the blame on his non-English speaking workers. If they can't speak the language, what would make you think that they know the history and know who James Earl Ray is?

AKA2D '91 · #9 01-16-2002, 04:32 PM

I don't care what country you are from...a "J" does not look like a "R". PLUS, the "J" and the "R" are not located NEAR each other on the KEYBOARD....HELLOOOOOOOOOO!

James Earl RAY
James Earl JONES

PUHLEEZE!

MeezDiscreet · #10 01-16-2002, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by carolyne
That the president would even try to place the blame on his non-English speaking workers. If they can't speak the language, what would make you think that they know the history and know who James Earl Ray is?

hell, if they can't speak english, WHY HIRE THEM???!!!!

Steeltrap · #11 01-16-2002, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MeezDiscreet

hell, if they can't speak english, WHY HIRE THEM???!!!!

Disclaimer: This is ST's opinion and contains elements of sarcasm.

Because I'm sure that the yahoos who run that plant would rather have workers who don't talk back and spout off about their rights.

On a serious note, many blue-collar employers, like this sign maker, do prefer to hire immigrants, particularly Latinos, because they feel that immigrants won't hassle them about working conditions, et al.

strobelitehoney · #12 01-16-2002, 06:28 PM

I say that it was done on purpose. How can they possibly get Ray out of JONES. Come on now'

And bush's neck is just as red as my mad faces in my post. So he needs to stop covering for anyone. He better continue to cover those trails he left in Florida. Okay I am venting. I still say it was done on purpose, Imigrant or not.

DeltaGirl-BH-ASU · #13 01-16-2002, 09:19 PM

Greetings,

I say that this was done on purpose and it is very distasteful. There is NO WAY you can mis-type these names and it just so happens that the name of the man who killed MLK shows up on a plague. That's garbage. I was born at night but not last night. This is sad!!!

AKA2D '91 · #14 01-16-2002, 10:07 PM

James Earl Jones, according to CNN, said that this is being blown out of proportion.

He would say that!

CrimsonTide4 · #15 01-16-2002, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AKA2D '91
James Earl Jones, according to CNN, said that this is being blown out of proportion.

He would say that!

Da H*LL!!!

I wish a mofo would mess up my name like that. They messed up my name on a plaque in college, left out a letter. They were supposed to fix it -- that was 1995. 7 years later, I am still plaqueless -- I literally just remembered that.