MLK Day thread
Submitted by usernamehere on Mon, 01/18/2010 - 10:38am
My recent reflections on Dr. King's life center more around his wife, Coretta, as her death just happened in the past few years. Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery at her funeral sums up what I think the reflection on either or both of their lives should be about. Well, at least what I'm feeling today. Watch the whole video, it's worth it.
But check in at about 1:05 through 2:00.
But in the morning,will words become deeds that meet needs?
Bring your own thoughts and re-inspirations here
Here's another from Coretta's funeral:
"We know now there were no weapons of mass destruction over there [standing ovation]... but Coretta kew and we know that there are weapons of misdirection right down here. Millions without health insurance. Poverty abounds. For war billions more but no more for the poor." -Reverend Dr. Joseph Lowery, at the Coretta Scott King funeral, in front of 4 presidents
I'm discouraged
Though I had huge optimism following Obama's election, the backlash of racial hate I see, especially among conservatives in North Carolina, is frightening and saddening and all around depressing.
Bummed out in Chapel Hill.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
It was always there
It was always there.
Exposing the problem is part of the solution.
The devil doesn't like to be named.
Name him! Show the fear of difference for what it is.
He will run from the light.
He won't run from the light
On the contrary, this devil appears to relish his emerging status as oppressed minority. White fear of losing privilege to brown and black people is one of the pillars of the radical right movement. It's inseparable and confounded with their fear of government. They take pride in their prejudices, turning every corner to find an "other" to blame for whatever they're suffering, real or imagined. There's good evidence that the divide is growing ... getting sharper ... on the fringes.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
Ed Cone's column on language and race
is thought-provoking. I personally work very hard to steer away from excessive political correctness, but not to the point of being an asshole about it. It's a delicate balance.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
Excuse me if I am troubled by Harry Reid's statement
Using the word "Negro" is racist. If it was not, then people would not show such ire when a republican uses it.
Saying Negro dialect while saying Obama does not use it unless he wants to is over the top. There is no other way to take that other than to believe it was meant that Reid was saying that Obama spoke "white" English when he needed to and "black" English when he needed to. I doubt there is a good argument to that.
I know Reid is the democratic leader in the Senate and I know he has enormous power and I know he stands for what most of us right here on BlueNC stand for. But, this entire exchange is questionable. I want to believe he is not a bigot and I want to believe he was not being racist and I hope he is truthful in his apology on this. But, put those words in the mouth of a notable republican that was presented nationally and I think all of us would have been irrate about it.
Guess I will be trashed for this post, but I have to be honest about my beliefs on it here. Saying something otherwise just to be "accepted" here would be wrong.
You are excused
Actually, I don't know why you should expect to be "trashed" for an opinion that isn't terribly unusual or radical. I can appreciate the objections many have registered to Reid's comments, but I don't share their dismay.
I don't think there's anything wrong with what Reid said. His use of the word "negro" isn't surprising for a person of his generation, and his observation that Obama could pick up or drop a given speech pattern or dialect -- call it "white" or "black" or what have you -- at will is undoubtedly true. So? It's an astute observation and it's especially pertinent when the discussion is about politics and how people react to appearances, sounds, images etc . . . associated with a given candidate. I don't think the fact that Reid spotted and commented on an obvious political advantage means Reid is a bad person. Whether he is a racist or not is something I don't think you can call on such scant evidence, but for that matter, I would argue that most of us are racist whether we like to acknowledge it or not.
I'm puzzled by the prevalence of the idea that stating that a given trait of a candidate is likely to be a pro or con in the public's eye is somehow tantamount to endorsing judgments based on racial (or any other image-related) traits.
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing
-Edmund Burke
Exactly
Agree completely.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
Thank you, Brunette
I really expected to be taken down in the country on what I posted. I thank you for not doing that and have to admit that although you have discounted what I said, you did it in a respectful manner. I have read your post a few times and do understand what you are saying. I think that Reid, being an "older" fellow, does not want to sound or be racist or bigoted in what he says but does have inherent beliefs that have come out in what he has said. As you said, we all have some racism and bigotry in us, and I truly believe that is both black and white. What we do with those beliefs and how we handle them and control ourselves with regard to them speaks to who we are and what we want for humanity.
Again, thanks for that post.