Happy Birthday. What would you say about the "war" in Iraq, I wonder? Or the minimum wage "battle?" Or these tools who have hijacked your name and message--folks like our President, many other white folks. Interesting how they dilute what you were about by making you an icon, a myth. When you were alive they hated you. But these days over hyping is better than denigrating you, or keeping you a shadowy out-figure like Malcolm. Malcolm in his early years, that is. And what would you say about your bizarre kids, and even Coretta in those last years. No one's perfect, and you loved them, but sometimes I wonder if you didn't think your loss was too much for Coretta's sanity to bear, eh?Oh well, we can debate later. For now, we'll sing your praises and whisper a prayer.
3 comments:
It is interesting how so many people, including my 86 year old dad, indeed treat Dr King King as a "mythical" beast like a griffin now, yet when he was alive, I'm sure you, as an African American, can imagine the level of derision. Hatred is not the right word. I only knew a few people who "hated" him. Derision is better, and my father called him a communist.
Dubya showed up at a canned event at Banneker H.S. in DC today to "paint a freedom mural." The new mayor came and went, and the 411 is that he didn't want to glorify this gesture.
I am also amazed by the corporate sponsorship of the King Memorial. These same types of businesses had nothing to do with him in 1965, and were hardly paragons of economic justice. Maybe times have changed, but no thanks to them.
Nicely said, Christopher. The real MLK is slowly but surely fading as white folk continue to take him out of context, and twist his words to fit their agendas. Too few know the true extent of how great he really was.
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