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| James Earl Jones: Let’s Finish the Job ( Iraq) |
| 2003-02-19 |
| PEMBROKE - "I have one announcement to make: Princess Leia, I am your father." Jones, the deep voice behind Darth Vader of "Star Wars," was part of the Distinguished Speaker Series at UNC Pembroke. Jones talked about his battle to overcome a speech problem, the life and accomplishments of Martin Luther King Jr. and the impending war with Iraq. Minutes into the speech, the crowd erupted in laughter as a UNCP student near the front waved a sword like the one used by Vader in the "Star Wars" films. Jones declined several requests to impersonate the infamous Vader and Mufasa, the character voice he portrayed in the "The Lion King." Rather, Jones talked about a need for societal change; the responsibilities of every American, regardless of ethnicity; and the importance of equality and freedom. He frequently quoted the works of King. "Let us remind ourselves tonight it's better to light the candle than curse the darkness," Jones said. "We all know the roots of prejudice. We have to work together. We have to fix that which we are responsible for, accept the part that is ours and move on. Dr. King found the courage to fight for it. He gave all, including his life. In doing so, he touched all our lives." Jones, a former Army officer, drew perhaps the biggest round of applause after the subject turned to America's showdown with Iraq. He said that war is sometimes necessary. "All people have to be prepared," Jones said. "If we are going to be the police, we also have to be the guardians. We can no longer play games. I was not against the war in Bosnia. I was against it taking so long. I was not against the war in Somalia. Again, it took too long, and we didn't finish the job. We should've stayed and finished the job. About this pending war, I just think we should've finished that war the first time." Clear, Concise and direct. I wonder how that translates in French? Jones, who turned 72 on Jan. 17, was born in poverty to sharecroppers in Arkbautla, Miss. He moved with his grandparents to Michigan after his father, an ex-prize fighter, abandoned the family. As a young man, Jones stuttered when he spoke. From age 6 to 14, he refused to talk. One of his English teachers coaxed Jones out of silence by persuading him to read a poem that Jones had written. He corrected the speech impediment and worked his way through college at the University of Michigan. He served in the Army before becoming an actor. "I'm trying to get around (stuttering)," Jones told the audience. "I have a better vocabulary now because I have to find better words that I won't trip on." Jones has appeared in almost 200 movies and television shows. He made his screen debut in 1964 in the film "Dr. Strangelove," but returned to the stage. He starred in a few feature films, but hit it big with "Star Wars" in the late '70s. The Rev. Euphema Mack of Lumberton brought her 4-year-old grandson, Brandon Shaw. She said she was impressed by Jones' candor. "It's been so long since I heard a person address the issues and not pitty-patter around them," Mack said. Dolores Jones of Rowland said, "I thought he was very enlightening. I've always admired his contributions to the arts and his beliefs. He is a role model not only for blacks, but everybody. He represents people in general." When you see an authentic hero, its reminds you just how phony the pretenders really are. Few men anywhere can carry themselves with the dignity that this man has shown. |
| Posted by:Frank Martin |
| #3 Finally! An actor that learns from history. |
| Posted by: Ptah 2003-02-19 18:55:28 |
| #2 Normally, I try to ignore actors when they speak. But for Darth Vader, I'll make an exception. Kewl. |
| Posted by: Fred 2003-02-19 18:16:54 |
| #1 With Darth Vader on board we can't lose. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2003-02-19 15:41:45 |