The Knighthood of Manuel “Manny” Correira
By Manuel Luciano da Silva, Medical Doctor

The Journalist Manuel "Manny" Correira was honored with the Award of "The Knight of 2010" by the historical organization "The Knights of Corte Reais" from Bristol, Rhode Island.

There was a banquet, April 16th, 2010, at the Restaurant Venus de Milo, Swansea, Massachusetts and Dr. Luciano da Silva was the main speaker.

Dr. Da Silva holding the plaque
after reading and before giving it to Manuel Correira

       Manuel Correira holding the Plaque of "The Night of 2010" Next to Dr. Da Silva and Mr. Tony Teixeira, the Master of Ceremonies

                  
The speach:

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The Grandson

  Tonight we are honoring a Portuguese American Grandson, Manuel "Manny" Correira.  I asked him where did he come from, what are his roots and he sent me this direct answer:

"To clarify things, my mother and father were born here in the United States. My grandmother, Maria Silvia Correira, was born on the Island of Sao Jorge. My grandfather, Manuel Correira, was born on the Island of Sao Miguel. They were married in Portugal.

I was born June 18, 1944 in Fall River, Mass. I was brought up in Bristol, educated in Bristol, worked in Bristol, and have lived in Bristol for over 60 years. I'm very proud to be of Portuguese heritage."

Direct, strong language. This is very clear journalism!  His grandmother was born on the island of São Jorge, which is a volcanic island in the center of the Azorean archipelago in the north Atlantic. The patron Saint of the island St. George symbolizes great strength because this saint kills dragons.

This island produces a very strong cheese because the grass of the island has specific characteristics giving a special taste and acidity to the St. George cheese making it world famous.

"Coriscos" = lightening and thunder
His grandfather was born on the island of Saint Michael, Azores. Natives of this island are called "coriscos" meaning "lightening and thunder".  What a contrast: with these dragon slaying roots and being full of electricity, Manny Correira was born in the City of Fall River!

But at the age of six he was lucky to arrive in Bristol, Rhode Island. After six decades, "Manny", we can say today with conviction, Bristol was lucky, you came to Bristol.

Many years ago I was enjoying a cup of coffee with Mr. Bosworth Junior and I told him that I was very lucky I came to Bristol. And Bosworth replied: "Bristol was very lucky, you came to Bristol". So, "Manny", we have something in common, my friend!

Even our professions have been very similar: you as a journalist love people, and I as a physician, also love people.

The contrast with today’s news


Nowadays when we read any major newspaper anywhere in the world they all look like morgue reports. Disasters, suicide bombers, murderers, robbers, sexual infidelities, pedophilia, all these news serve to glorify the bad elements of our society!  Only bad news appears on front pages of newspapers, and become the flashing news on radio and TV. Societies all over the world are indeed very sick.

Best selling publications are the ones that specialize in bad news. Why? Because bad people, that comparing these bad news with their own behavior, they realize that so far they have escaped being caught. They continue to believe: "I am not yet as bad as they are. I am still safe, I have not been caught".

Today’s Editors & Publishers are at fault!


The truth is that Editors and publishers all over the world are at fault. They should NOT glorify bad characters. They should publish the bad news, but NOT glorify it as they do. Why do the media in America glorify the murderers, the robbers, and the bad guys?

Newspapers should publish bad news in the smallest print available, so that the readers had to use a magnifying glass! Editors should put emphasis on the positive actions of its citizens, so they will serve as good examples to the other members of the society, young and old. It should be the responsibility of Editors to control the bad news and avoid making them headlines.  I immigrated to the United States 64 years ago. I lived in Brooklyn, New York City for six years. At that time the city had seven daily newspapers. But the presentation of the news was completely different from what it is today.

Television today --- and TV in Portuguese means "Traza a Vida", meaning "Life pushed backwards" . That is the reason why lately I see very little TV.

Correira’s good qualities as a journalist


"Manny", if I had a newspaper, I want you to be my Editor, my Publisher. Why? Will Rogers said: "I never met a man that I did not like", but you "Manny" go much further: "You never met a man and a woman that you did not like". In your interviews you always placed emphasis on the positive.

You never used the words of rancor, fear, contradiction, and controversy! Nowadays these are the terms most used in America media and they call this freedom of speech!?  Many times we see disturbing interviews on TV in which the reporter attacks the "victim" as if he is using a verbal machine gun.

"Manny", I have read and enjoyed many of your interviews of Bristol high school students, university athletes, veterans, firemen, immigrants, or scholars, and your articles ALWAYS reveal the positive aspect of that person. That is marvelous. Why? Because down deep you are indeed a good man. Reporting the way you do, nowadays, is a rarity.

In my 40 years practicing Internal Medicine in Bristol, l made many hundreds of house calls. They do not make house calls any more. How different things are now. You never use any negative adjectives to describe your protagonists.

When I asked you why you write so positively you told me:

"I never met a person I didn’t like. They always seemed to bring out the best of my journalist abilities. They always trusted my judgment and the professional approach to my job."

You further told me " There is too much negativity in this world. I have always dwelt on the positive. There was never a need to be negative about anything. There is more good in people than bad. That’s always been my philosophy."

You have been always consistently constructive in every feature story you have written about anyone, including many stories of me, concerning my researches and my lectures. I am most grateful to you. Today I want to declare publicly that your appraisal of my lecture at the Herreshoff Museum was so positive that it became part of the documentation when the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame elected me to become a member of that prestigious organization.

We, the Knights of Corte Reais, are very pleased and proud to have chosen you to be our Knight of 2010. The knights of Corte Reais started in Portugal in 1415, making it one of the oldest in Europe connected with the United States of America, having João Vaz Corte Real as its Patron, the discoverer of Newfoundland in 1472, twenty years before Columbus came to Central America, making our organization unique.

You, "Manny", becoming a Corte Real Knight you are now in our highest category! You give pride to all the Portuguese, and it is because you are a dignified and exemplary American journalist and such an outstanding American Citizen.

Many thanks for accepting the Knights of Corte Real Award. You really deserve it. Thank you and Good Luck, "Manny" to you and your family.

 

Manuel Correira and his beloved wife

Jose Farias, President of Corte Reais

 

Professor Tony Teixeira, Master of Ceremonies

Manuel Correira & Frederico Pacheco with Certificate
from Rep. Raymond Gallison and Rep. Doug Gablinski

 

Manuel Correira and Jose Martins

 

José Martins, José Farias, Vice-consul, Dr. Leonel Teixeira, Manuel Correira,
Dr. Luciano da Silva, Frederico Pacheco, Tony Teixeira and Joseph Moniz