I’m not a worshipper of Dr. King and I don’t represent the GOP propaganda machine in discussing the times in which he lived.
His right hand man, Rev. Ralph Abernathy acknowledged that King was “less than a saint.” I don’t think Abernathy was dissing as much as trying to be honest about a talented leader who had a personal flaw (serial adultery).
King’s Birmingham protest of 1963 was pivotal in unleashing the emotions that led to the riots that were to follow all over the country.
Its ironic he won the Nobel Peace Prize for that.
The country was divided and hurt to change laws in ways that expanded the power of the federal government at the expense of states.
Segregation was ended as a matter of law but racial wounds were opened up for others to heal later on with some wounds still not healed.
Races remained more emotionally segregated than ever even though legally the nation was integrated.
Former Senator Jesse Helms was the one brave soul who voted no on the King holiday.
The personal life is one thing, but I still think the political side deserves a deeper look.
Jack O’Dell, Bayard Rustin and the other Communists have all been brought up as associates of King.
But consider this. A man who would later be known as a close friend of Chavez and Castro, Harry Belafonte, became a friend of Dr. King early in King’s public life (the 1950’s). Belafonte worked closely with King being a big conduit of cash for King and his “civil rights movement.”
And by the way, didn’t we just do this 4 months ago? About the middle of January? Did the man have any other signficant dates we can worship him for later in the year? We could make this a quarterly thing...hmm, let’s see, something in the summer around July would be good. Can someone get started on that now?
Our local stupid news-reader (who himself wasn't even born then) said this morning that we all remembered where we were when we heard the news.
I sure don't remember.
More pandering.