Martin Luther King Jr.

[rambone]

 

[Kagnew]

These are advantages born out of capitalism; advantages that certain members of the society were not allowed to embrace.

I can only repeat that capitalism is an economic system. There is nothing about an economic system, per se, which would foster discrimination.

 

[Que]

I can only repeat that capitalism is an economic system. There is nothing about an economic system, per se, which would foster discrimination.

I understood you the first time and do not disagree about what capitalism is. If you can't comprehend my retort, that's fine.

 

[J_Wales]

If I made $100,000 in 2011, my federal income tax would be approximately $17,250 based on the tax tables assuming I am married and file a joint return. My effective federal income tax rate is 17.25%


If the guy down the street made $50,000 in 2011, his federal income tax would be approximately $6,650 based on the tax tables assuming he is married and filed a joint return. His effective federal income rate is 13.3%

If the next guy down the street made $17,000 in 2011, his federal income tax would be $0 based on the tax tables assuming he is married and filed a joint return. His effective federal income tax rate is 0%.

It is unjust that some should have their labor taxed by the state at more favorable rates than others while some do not have their labor taxed at all.

Do I have a moral responsibility to disobey this law since it does not treat the labor of all taxpayers equally?

 

[armedindy]

If I made $100,000 in 2011, my federal income tax would be approximately $17,250 based on the tax tables assuming I am married and file a joint return. My effective federal income tax rate is 17.25%


If the guy down the street made $50,000 in 2011, his federal income tax would be approximately $6,650 based on the tax tables assuming he is married and filed a joint return. His effective federal income rate is 13.3%

If the next guy down the street made $17,000 in 2011, his federal income tax would be $0 based on the tax tables assuming he is married and filed a joint return. His effective federal income tax rate is 0%.

It is unjust that some should have their labor taxed by the state at more favorable rates than others while some do not have their labor taxed at all.

Do I have a moral responsibility to disobey this law since it does not treat the labor of all taxpayers equally?

maaaaaaaybe

 

[rambone]

It is unjust that some should have their labor taxed by the state at more favorable rates than others while some do not have their labor taxed at all.

Do I have a moral responsibility to disobey this law since it does not treat the labor of all taxpayers equally?

If we were really serious about ending the injustice, we'd follow in MLK's tradition of peaceful civil disobedience.

 

[J_Wales]

"If we were really serious about ending the injustice, we'd follow in MLK's tradition of peaceful civil disobedience."

I wonder if mlk would view the progressive tax system outlined above as an injustice.

What do you think?

 

[Que]

I wonder if mlk would view the progressive tax system outlined above as unjust.

What do you think?

That's an impossible question for anyone to answer. MLK saw the injustices of his time and dealt with them. The better question is, if injustices persist today, perpetuated by whomever, what are you/we willing to do about it? Are people still willing to deal with the repercussions that result from lawful and non-violent civil disobedience?

 

[J_Wales]

That's an impossible question for anyone to answer.

It's impossible for one to tell what they think? To give an opinion? To make an educated assessment and tell why?

 

[Que]

It's impossible for one to tell what they think? To give an opinion? To make an educated assessment and tell why?

Let me rephrase. Yes, an opinion can certainly be offered, but a valid question has been raised that should be addressed without going down the rabbit hole of discussing what a dead man would have done. Anyone is definitely free to answer your question, but I'm wondering what are we doing today?

Not everyone who marched with MLK agreed with him, liked him, or even supported him. However, they all agreed that working together to achieve a common goal was in their best interest. Today, people talk about liberty, democracy, and our great republic, but can't even agree to support a presidential candidate that outwardly holds the truest to the principles of these tenets. So, how in the world can free Americans come together to properly demonstrate disagreement with injustices we see today? Some have even refused to vote!

 

[Kagnew]

I understood you the first time and do not disagree about what capitalism is. If you can't comprehend my retort, that's fine.

Retort not comprehended. Sorry.

 

[J_Wales]

Let me rephrase. Yes, an opinion can certainly be offered, but a valid question has been raised that should be addressed without going down the rabbit hole of discussing what a dead man would have done. Anyone is definitely free to answer your question, but I'm wondering what are we doing today?

Not everyone who marched with MLK agreed with him, liked him, or even supported him. However, they all agreed that working together to achieve a common goal was in their best interest. Today, people talk about liberty, democracy, and our great republic, but can't even agree to support a presidential candidate that outwardly holds the truest to the principles of these tenets. So, how in the world can free Americans come together to properly demonstrate disagreement with injustices we see today? Some have even refused to vote!

Agreed.

Do you view the fact that people are taxed unequally on their labor and the fruit of their labor an injustice?

 

[Que]

Agreed.

Do you view the fact that people are taxed unequally on their labor and the fruit of their labor an injustice?

This is a great question and one I can honestly say I never thought about until it was posted on here. To be direct, yes, I see this as an injustice. I believe all labor (intellectual or physical) should be taxed equally, whether the base salary is $1M or $$100K a year. After all, work is work.

I've heard various arguments for and against federal and state taxes. I won't address my feelings about them, but if I must pay taxes -- for whatever reason -- I don't want to be penalized for making more, while others pay nothing because they make less. In the same vein, I disagree that some should have the ability to avoid their income being taxed through the various loopholes that currently exist.

 

[J_Wales]

Today, people talk about liberty, democracy, and our great republic, but can't even agree to support a presidential candidate that outwardly holds the truest to the principles of these tenets. So, how in the world can free Americans come together to properly demonstrate disagreement with injustices we see today? Some have even refused to vote!

Well said.

That some do not even bother to vote is infuriating to me.

I've always figured that if one does not make the effort to be informed and to vote one forfeits one's right to complain!

 

[Al B]

Well said.

That some do not even bother to vote is infuriating to me.

I've always figured that if one does not make the effort to be informed and to vote one forfeits one's right to complain!

For as long as I can remember around my home it was said, "if you don't vote, don't b!tch..."

 

[J_Wales]

For as long as I can remember around my home it was said, "if you don't vote, don't b!tch..."

AMEN.

I had a neighbor tell me she was so fed up with things she didn't think she was going to vote this fall. I told her that if she did she need waste any of my time with her complaints.

 

[EvilBlackGun]

I am MUCH less inclined to go to jail ...

... than MLKJr was. MANY folks HAVE already protested the tax rules, and some have been executed, while others had all their property confiscated. How far one goes in disobedience to an illegal law is up to the individual. The entire premise of the current tax code is unconstitutional, from what I hear. EBG

That's an impossible question for anyone to answer. MLK saw the injustices of his time and dealt with them. The better question is, if injustices persist today, perpetuated by whomever, what are you/we willing to do about it? Are people still willing to deal with the repercussions that result from lawful and non-violent civil disobedience?

 

[rambone]

Bump

 

[HoughMade]

Dr. Martin Luther King was not a perfect man, not in actions, not in viewpoint. Last time I checked, NO MAN was perfect (well.....one). Further, it seems as though many here want Dr. King to agree with them on EVERYTHING, or nothing he ever did or stood for was worth anything.

OK, if that's the standard, I guess I have to stop having positive thoughts about a lot of people:

George Washington- screw him, he owned slaves. I don't agree with that, so nothing he did is worth remembering.
Thomas Jefferson- see above and add sexual promiscuity with a person who could not exercise true free will....a rapist. I guess nothing he ever did is worth remembering.
Abraham Lincoln- let's see, failed at business, slaughtered Native Americans....
John Glenn- political liberal in the senate, who cares what he did before?
Ronald Reagan- seems to have favored an AWB, forget him!
etc.

Dr. King gave an eloquent voice to a systematically oppressed people. Many may want to claim there was no such oppression....they have their heads in the sand and I have to wonder why. Dr. King went where people were standing for equality and stood with them. He was forceful and gentle at the same time.

Yes, he made speeches. Some say "that's all he did, and that's nothing." Baloney. First of all, that's not all he did, but even if it was, saying the right words to convey high ideals at the right time IS NOT NOTHING!!!!

Whatever his economic principles were, whatever groups he sought cooperation with that I would question, he stood for racial equality at a time when that movement needed a voice. His was the right voice. I will stand with him on the principle that America must live up to its highest ideal stating that "All men are created equal..." Too often we have said "I believe in equality", while refusing food, lodging, loans, jobs, and promotions to people unlike us. Sadly, in 2013, though less pronounced, those attitudes still exist.

There is work left to be done. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day can both remind us of our progress and that we are not done yet. For that, I will mark the day- this year and every year.

 

[Liberty1911]

As with Lincoln, adoring MLK is more about the mythology than the man.