Martin Luther King Jr.

[armedindy]

MLK was a very admirable man. And i think we as freedom seeking Americans should really take a moment and reflect on what MLK accomplished...if anything it shows us the profound positive impact that one determined human can have on a society...

God bless Indiana, and the land we call the USA

 

[dom1104]

What did MLK accomplish again?

 

[armedindy]

i knew this was coming...i dont care what any of you naysayers have to say about the specifics, today we celebrate a shift away from bigotry in america that is all

 

[88GT]

No, we don't. We get a day off to lionize a man who made good speeches. A bunch of laws and regulations don't change bigotry in the U.S. In fact, I can say with a fair amount of certainty that the unintended consequences of such have made more than a few people more bigoted than they would otherwise have been.

 

[dom1104]

i knew this was coming...i dont care what any of you naysayers have to say about the specifics, today we celebrate a shift away from bigotry in america that is all

No seriously man, I really have no idea.

Other than a speech, I have no idea what MLK REALLY did to improve anything.

I am not being a jerk, I really have no idea. Other than a bunch of unreliable glory jobs in the media, I dont know what the TRUTH about the man really is.

Ignorance, not jerkiness.

 

[Donnelly]

i dont care what any of you naysayers have to say about the specifics, today we celebrate a shift away from bigotry in america that is all

I thought that today we honor the birthday of the best known civil rights leader.

 

[armedindy]

No, we don't. We get a day off to lionize a man who made good speeches. A bunch of laws and regulations don't change bigotry in the U.S. In fact, I can say with a fair amount of certainty that the unintended consequences of such have made more than a few people more bigoted than they would otherwise have been.

point taken...im not saying i agree with everything that has happened, but i dont agree with treating a group of people as less than human, or less than citizens simply by some physical feature.....to me and many others (class of 2008 and many other young people) it is seen as a time to celebrate the equified treatment and opportunitys of a mistreated group of people....i dont agree with all of the policies and laws or any of that crap, i just know that i have decent black friends that enjoy today for the simplified symbolic meaning that it holds to them.

 

[armedindy]

u know what, you guys can tear this all apart, w.e. but today is kinda like thanksgiving..i enjoy it every year even though the facts may be less than pretty

 

[Que]

On this day, I celebrate the body of work for which a man's life was taken away. Many people can't look past their noses to realize that Dr. King embodies the spirit of democracy and social equality. During a time when a great majority of Americans refused to allow equal rights for those who didn't look like them, and a great deal more stood by as sheep without the fortitude to say anything, Dr. King refused to say “No” when destiny asked him to step up.

I know all about the negative issues in his personal life, just as I know how the government moved to subvert the movement he helped to carry on. But, today, I refuse to harp on the nonconstructive nature of Dr. King or my country. Today, I recognize if it weren’t for Dr. King and the nameless many, whether they be black, white, yellow, or red, I would not be where I am today.


So, some may think he did nothing. I certainly do not believe he was the all-in-all, but he worked with others to reach a common goal, despite the obstacles put in his place. The celebration of Dr. King's birth is not only for him, but everyone that refused to allow unjust laws to remain in place. Some may think the laws that resulted from Sam Crow were useless and unjust, but I disagree.


I know an hour may be a bit too much for some to watch this video, but there are some shorter one's out there.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eWSVjEBfys[/ame]

 

[iChokePeople]

but today is kinda like thanksgiving..

Wow -- now THAT's an interesting simile.

 

[dom1104]

So I am more confused than before.

So what ARE the facts? What DOES the class of 2008 really know about the work of the guy, other than a simplified symbolic meaning.

Because if what he did doesnt really matter, we could just call it "hug your black buddy day" and get the same general simplified celebratory feeling.

Thanksgiving seems an odd comparison, St. Patricks day seems the closest ethnic celebration day to me.

But to compare MLK day as some sort of black holiday, similar to the Irish holiday.. seems.. not quite right.

So what DID the class of 2008 get taught about MLK? That is an interesting question...

So enlighten me. What are they teaching in the skools these days?

 

[dom1104]

On this day, I celebrate the body of work for which a man's life was taken away. Many people can't look past their noses to realize that Dr. King embodies the spirit of democracy and social equality. During a time when a great majority of Americans refused to allow equal rights for those who didn't look like them, and a great deal more stood by as sheep without the fortitude to say anything, Dr. King refused to say “No” when destiny asked him to step up.

I know all about the negative issues in his personal life, just as I know how the government moved to subvert the movement he helped to carry on. But, today, I refuse to harp on the nonconstructive nature of Dr. King or my country. Today, I recognize if it weren’t for Dr. King and the nameless many, whether they be black, white, yellow, or red, I would not be where I am today.


So, some may think he did nothing. I certainly do not believe he was the all-in-all, but he worked with others to reach a common goal, despite the obstacles put in his place. The celebration of Dr. King's birth is not only for him, but everyone that refused to allow unjust laws to remain in place. Some may think the laws that resulted from Sam Crow were useless and unjust, but I disagree.


I know an hour may be a bit too much for some to watch this video, but there are some shorter one's out there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eWSVjEBfys

Thanks Que, I am going to watch this at lunch. Sounds like a very well reasoned opinion.

Maybe it will assuage my total ignorance on this subject.

 

[rphutchi]

What did MLK accomplish again?

Actually his achievements were rather spectacular in light of the cultural climate of his time. He managed to force Americans to look at and then debate the status quo of race driven laws. Most remarkably he took the well accepted Judeo Christian values embraced by the culture and forced the general public to re-evaluate whether or not the legal structures matched their espoused values. Perhaps most remarkably he did so while rejecting the violence espoused by Malcolm X et. al. Now his legacy is arguably hijacked by the likes of Jesse Jackson and other race baiters but his achievements remain remarkable.

 

[04DarkShadowGT]

Are we seriously going to argue this? Does everything on here have to end in an argument?

If you dont want to celebrate the day, fine but dont pee on someone elses cake.

 

[down3green]

u know what, you guys can tear this all apart

.

I don't have a problem with what you're trying to say.

I'll add this as worthwhile reading, IMO:

http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html



.

 

[Garb]

No, we don't. We get a day off to lionize a man who made good speeches. A bunch of laws and regulations don't change bigotry in the U.S. In fact, I can say with a fair amount of certainty that the unintended consequences of such have made more than a few people more bigoted than they would otherwise have been.

This. I do have great respect for MLK Jr., but the laws that were passed after his death really haven't done much to improve the problems with racism and bigotry that plague this country. It's kind of like praising a pastor for successfully lobbying congress to make abortions illegal. People gotta change their hearts and minds for a real change to come.

 

[EvilBlackGun]

Let's keep this straight:

All whites are racists; all coloreds are racists; the South MAY rise again; today is NOT Rodney King Day nor James Earl Ray Day. MLKJr would just be a fine spokesman and leader of the majority of the Colored community if he had not been shot. We would not have a "Holiday" for that. The special day was sprung on us in order to keep Colored Revolution off of the streets. Why don't we have a JFK Day to keep Catholics from running mad in the streets? There are just as many Race-crazy folks of any color as any other color. It behooves us all on this forum to keep a calm that only wisdom of experience can teach. To live, act, and speak otherwise just means that YOU will be highest on the Zombies target-list. Shut up, and learn your enemies, above and below you. Buy silver bullets. EBG

 

[dom1104]

All whites are racists; all coloreds are racists; the South MAY rise again; today is NOT Rodney King Day nor James Earl Ray Day. MLKJr would just be a fine spokesman and leader of the majority of the Colored community if he had not been shot. We would not have a "Holiday" for that. The special day was sprung on us in order to keep Colored Revolution off of the streets. Why don't we have a JFK Day to keep Catholics from running mad in the streets? There are just as many Race-crazy folks of any color as any other color. It behooves us all on this forum to keep a calm that only wisdom of experience can teach. To live, act, and speak otherwise just means that YOU will be highest on the Zombies target-list. Shut up, and learn your enemies, above and below you. Buy silver bullets. EBG

Wait... wait WHAT?

This post has all the marks of someone high on narcotics.

Silver bullets? Running mad in the streets? Zombies?

 

[Hoosier8]

No seriously man, I really have no idea.

Other than a speech, I have no idea what MLK REALLY did to improve anything.

I am not being a jerk, I really have no idea. Other than a bunch of unreliable glory jobs in the media, I dont know what the TRUTH about the man really is.

Ignorance, not jerkiness.

He set a standard that we are all one and that was different than what was going on at the time and even now points out hypocrisy of some of his own followers. Why? Because it is and will be a lasting standard that you now may just take for granted.

 

[armedindy]

"hug your black buddy day" and get the same general simplified celebratory feeling.

i like it