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January 18, 2005 Martin Luther "The King"
I started getting sick of this holiday back when I was in the eighth grade. For me, Martin Luther King Day always seemed like a reason for everyone to get together and act deep and "conscious" for one day to make atonement for their "sins". While growing up in school, they usually had an assembly where they'd play black and white clips from "Eyes On the Prize" and make us join hands and under the most subtle of socialist pretenses one could ever imagine, we'd be forced to sing "We Shall Overcome" in beautiful harmony. That song deserves to die a slow and painful death. To all the believers out there, I'm serving notice, we HAVE overcome. Let's kill that song. The commercials with the soft flowing music and the words "He had a dream" flashing on the screen ever so slowly have become really hokey. For me it really comes down to the fact that celebrating a dead person is fairly pointless. Let's aim to celebrate philosophy instead. Continuing to carry out the work a person started is far more important than exalting the dead. The more we focus on one individual, the more of a foothold we give the rainbow brigade and all the other ultra-liberal hijackers that run around trying to associate their plight with the civil rights movement. Speculating about what King would and wouldn't support, do, say, speak, feel, is ultimately futile because no one will ever know. Although Dr. King is a sacred cow, there are messy parts that have yet to be fully addressed. That doesn't change the fact that he was a vessel. If Jesus could use 12 jacked up disciples, one of whom was a liar and thief, to make an impact on the world, then surely we all qualify for greatness in some way or another. King was used as a prophetic voice to his generation. In spite of my own disagreements with Dr. King, I won't, can't and don't knock his legacy. I get to stand on his shoulders so the least I can do is say thank you. Last year's post: Happy Birthday Dr. King.
Trackback PingsTrackBack URL for this entry: Posted by: Ethel at January 18, 2005 05:01 AM Welcome back! Posted by: marcus at January 18, 2005 07:40 AM BINGO!!! Give the adulations a rest. MLK was/is not the 2nd coming of Christ and Civil Rights would have moved forward regardless of MLK -- to what degree is speculative, nonetheless it would have come. Let's deal with the sorry brainwashing mess that the edumacation elites have inflicted on a captive audience and the pervasive culture of self-gratification and death. Posted by: Andy at January 18, 2005 09:24 AM Ooooh, I think Jesse Jackson would be making money with or without his hijacking of the racism card. He is quite talented and knows how to hustle and play the political game. He's a great speaker too - not that I'm trying to defend him or anything. On the news last night they showed some students from North Carolina A&T volunteering at a soup kitchen. One of the directors commented that she believed that's what Martin Luther King would want them to do. I turned to my wife and remarked that I didn't remember him saying anything about a soup kitchen. The reporter also had a funny about the lack of equality there. The guys were working outside in the cold while the ladies were inside dishing out the food. Posted by: MarcV at January 18, 2005 09:25 AM Tell it, Amber! (from a non-black but also part of a 'minority group' person). Posted by: Michele at January 18, 2005 02:43 PM Wait, an Apple computer froze? *tongue-in-cheek whistling ensues* Great post, Ambra :P Posted by: Alex at January 18, 2005 07:52 PM It is sad to say, but MLK has had a "cult of personality" creatd around him that rivals Stalin's. While I do not think that he created his (the way Joseph did) it seems that if you ever say you disagreed with him on anything, you are some sort of bedsheet wearing klansman. I always find it amusing when "MLK said it" is invoked as an argument in any circumstance. I wish I could get people to use my name that way... John said it, so it must be right. Posted by: John at January 20, 2005 01:42 AM "Cult of personality"...I like that. Alex: It was actually Firefox that froze on me....not my brand. new. iBook. Never that. Betta recognize. Posted by: Ambra Nykol at January 20, 2005 12:37 PM |
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 "...playful philosophizing" Dan Leroy, National Review Online
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Yesterday, I wrote some elegant, choppy and scatteredly poignant thoughts on this "great" (quotes indicate sarcasm) holiday on which most people sleep in and do nothing. Then my computer froze and I lost the entire essay. The funny part is, I wasn't even sad. Rather telling I'd say. This comes a day after the fact so I'll keep it brief:
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Great post. I agree with you wholeheartedly.