For the first time in a long time, a New York City Mayor took part in the celebration of the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with leaders from the black community actually chosen by the black community.

But the sight of Mike Bloomberg alongside Al Sharpton and David Dinkins has sparked a flurry of complaining and whining from the so-called "right" side of New York’s political and media arena.

Some are calling the new Republican mayor a sell-out to the party who put him in office. They’ve called these overtures "a mistake."

"Bad judgment" is among the many phrases hurled at both the new mayor and Sharpton, who has also been called "the fraud who would be king" and someone who should not be considered a successor to the slain civil rights leader whose life was commemorated on Jan. 25.

To those pundits, that now includes the new generation of right wing blacks who still don’t really know who they are, I say, "Who cares what you think?"

I only really pay attention to what people like Armstrong Williams, Robert George and Alan Keyes are saying to get a sense of just how low folks are willing to go to get a paycheck.

People like you don’t get to pick leaders in the black community because you aren’t a part of the black community.

Even those who don’t agree with what Sharpton says or do admit that he is one of the most vocal and visible people in the City when it comes to matters of race.

The Mayor’s attempts to be seen with people of color all over this City clearly comes from the guidance of Dennis Walcott, who is the Mayor’s deputy for policy and a Southeast Queens native.

Even though it is too early in his administration to grade Bloomberg on race relations, it seems he is no doubt working on earning extra credit.

Bloomberg is at least giving off the perception that he is interested in the majority of the people he serves.

I am curious to see if Bloomberg can keep his promise not to reverse the progress of the Giuliani years without making the same mistakes.

Can a person be a mayor for the entire City and do it well?

I know many people will say, based on his overtures right now, that someone can.

I am optimistic about a new era at City Hall, with a person at the Mayor’s side who is really from our community and who has long been a voice that represents our concerns.

I am speaking of Walcott and not so much of Sharpton.

To create the kind of change people of color have long sought in the confines of this City, pressure has to be applied from both the inside and the outside.

Outside, it has been applied by Sharpton, and inside, pressure now exists in a way that has been lacking for eight years.

However, I’m sure if there is a disagreement somewhere along the line, between the Mayor and his deputy, or communities of color, you can expect some of those blindly loyal right wingers to jump in and try to paint Walcott and other members with the same paint they splash on everybody else who doesn’t see things their way.

To those of you who are and have been just right of center for the past few years, I ask you to not allow that to happen.

Take a stand for what is right and wrong, not right and left.

There is an opportunity to unite this City as never