I was excited to learn that the FCC is holding a field hearing on broadband access at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis.   It will be on Saturday, Dec. 5 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  You can send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov for more information, and if you happen to be in the area, you can attend the meeting, as it is open for public attendance.

I can’t imagine a better backdrop for dialogue about digital inclusion and broadband equality than by hosting a forum at a location of such significance to America’s struggle towards civil rights.  Of course, the museum was once the Lorraine Motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., was assassinated on April 4, 1968.   In support of striking sanitation workers, his remarks the previous day are commonly known as his “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech.   He focused on the need for economic justice and described how pleased he was to see some momentum in their efforts.  “Something is happening in Memphis, something is happening in our world,” Dr. King said.

Considering the movement afoot towards creating opportunities for Americans, particularly minority, low-income and underserved Americans, I don’t think anyone would doubt that today, Dr. King would have broadband access on his agenda for social and economic justice.  I suspect he would be more passionate than any of us, maybe even scolding some of us for not doing even more!  Our debate on broadband access is often a matter of tossing out economic statistics, research reports and intellectual reasoning. But the real discussion is about equal access to opportunity, how we must make sure we are never left out again and bringing back into focus how far we’ve come and how far we need to go.  Sometimes, we may just need a little more fire.  Dr. King’s speech in Memphis does that for me.  Here’s the link: http://www.afscme.org/about/1549.cfm