MLK Birthday

Losiento

Reflection.
We as a people have not come very far. when it comes to the "Dream."
Opinions?

"Like anybody, I would like to live - a long life; longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land."

know1

My hero.

I think we have come farther than what you give us credit for.

Losiento

Maybe. I don't know the last 6 years of blatant intensely gross behavior at one of the major turning points human evolution of which never came. Looks like complete failure from all sides.

Godfather.

why do you think "we have not come very far"? and how far do you think we should go ? this dream bullshit just pisses me off,it's used like a weapon to play the racism game.
and the only failiure is man at a personal level,people can't keep blamming "whitie" for thier personal set backs but unfortunatly we got half a friggin country standing in line to cry in the pitty pool....I've been sick all weekend and short on political correctness so we'll let the chips fall where they may.

Godfather.

Losiento

If one man falls, do we not all fall? A failure to each other, love thy neighbor stance? A human brotherhood? Bullshit or not?

Thirty Bills Unpaid

I'm a pessimist by nature, but by the same logic, if one man succeeds, do we not all win?

It's perspective: the changes that supported his dream at a very minimum appear to be occurring- and the changes that were required were not going to happen overnight.

Losiento

Exactly.


Half empty - half full concept all depends on how you look at things and your perception is positive or negative

So to take logic further can we express that if the "one" person wins makes everyone a winner.

Domino or exponential effect.

Reminds me once of a news caster trying to get immediate aid to evacuate the people from Fukishima. What a difference is there in getting just one life out. ( Ed Schultz )

hedonist

Just 35 he was. What a courageous and well-spoken man.

That such effort was put forth to snuff his voice (well, to try to snuff his voice) is beyond me.

As an aside, maybe we need to look at what the words failure and success really mean...and whose responsibility both ultimately are. If someone fails by their own hand - despite efforts to help, to get a leg up - I'd say it's mostly on them. Same for achievements. I try to give credit - or not - where due.

As another aside, I wonder if anyone else sincerely using the terms "god's will" and "promised land" might be given a storm of shit.

Losiento

I agree. Reading the articles on FBI black mail and the such without going into depth. We all can still feel the reverb of his great achievements on how to move the masses in a brilliant way. The what if ? factor is astounding.

brianlux

We're getting there but not as far along as I'd hoped. MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech was delivered in 1963. By the late sixties we were making progress quickly. And then my generation cut our hair, finished school, went to work, had kids, bought cars and went to sleep. We were going to change the world. Maybe we did.... a little. I hope so but I'm skeptical. Most of my generation is more interested in nostalgia than being proactive. It gets lonely out here. The way I see it, things have progressed rather slowing in the decades that followed the sixties. We've made progress but we have a long, long way to go. Will racial strife ever end? Will there ever be an end to war? Will be stop wearing down our planet before it's too late? Not if people keep getting hung up on nostalgia. When most of you get older I hope you don't just sit around and talk about how cool it was when Eddie stuck a Bush mask on a mic stand. I hope you still voice strong opinions, write letters, participate in something that gets you out of the rocking chair. Reminiscing will not change the world.

Idris

If MLK were alive today, the NSA would be all over him, and instead of being praised like he is by so many people (hypocrites) in the USA today, he would be looked at as crazy, a terrorist, anti American.

Including Obama, because I don't see how MLK would support the President dropping bombs on innocent people and all the other crimes Obama and his administration is guilty of.

"I knew that I could never again raise my voice against violence of the oppressed in the ghettos without having first spoken clearly to the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today, my own government"

(words that ring as true today as they were yesterday)
-

So lets continue to whitewash his legacy into a cute little teddy bear and forget about the great revolutionary he was.

Losiento

"I knew that I could never again raise my voice against violence of the oppressed in the ghettos without having first spoken clearly to the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today, my own government"

He clearly understood the ramifications and the "wall" he was up against. We admire his courage. Just one voice, one person can inspire so many to join them in a struggle for change.

Godfather.

Idris....wow that was a moputh full,it's easy set blame on your country... our country for crimes aginst the world but our country is not the only one at fault and we are looked at as a protector by many countries so we will be involved in more conflict than we would like.

Losiento, Jesus was/is such a man "He clearly understood the ramifications and the "wall" he was up against"

Godfather.

Losiento

Godfather. said:

Idris....wow that was a moputh full,it's easy set blame on your country... our country for crimes aginst the world but our country is not the only one at fault and we are looked at as a protector by many countries so we will be involved in more conflict than we would like.

Losiento, Jesus was/is such a man "He clearly understood the ramifications and the "wall" he was up against"

Godfather.

Of course he did. I only use his death as with any other martyrs a signal of the animals enjoy the kill of anyone who are willing to free people from their suffering. Whatever that suffering that may be.

Losiento

I don't why Jesus just fell into the picture.

Godfather.

Losiento said:

I don't why Jesus just fell into the picture.

you said;"Just one voice, one person can inspire so many to join them in a struggle for change" and this brought to mind many people including adolf hitler and a list of good and bad people but they all start out with your best wishes , Jesus is the safest choice for many reasons in my opinion and I don't think following behind the likes king,kennedy,obama or anybody else is a real good idea.

Godfather.

unsung

A black man managed to become President, I'd say MLK's legacy is a successful one.

That said, current policies like how welfare works do more to keep the black race down and oppressed than anything the white man is doing.

Losiento

Vox dei vox populi

the voice of the people is the voice of God ... a movement or "spirit" to ignite the freedom of human kind from within

Jesus was considered a heretic and threat.

MLK agenda was a threat and not so different from Christ.

Same issues upon the table.

Same shit different decade and millennium for that matter.

Idris

Godfather. said:

Idris....wow that was a moputh full,it's easy set blame on your country... our country for crimes aginst the world but our country is not the only one at fault and we are looked at as a protector by many countries so we will be involved in more conflict than we would like.

Godfather.

Sure Mr Godfather, I agree, It is indeed quite easy to set blame on 'our' country (countries), for crimes against the world.

Because our country (countries) are guilty of crimes against the world, in just about every part of the world, and that is not my opinion, it is not conjecture (set of opinions turned to facts), it is 'fact'.

and for the most part, the only countries who look at the USA for 'protection' are countries guilty of similar crimes and destruction, be it in their own nations or are complicit towards crimes committed by the United States.

Saudi Arabia, Israel, Yemen, small tiny African Nations etc Yes many countries look towards the USA for protection, again I agree.
-

Unsung, "A black man managed to become President, I'd say MLK's legacy is a successful one"

I doubt having an Uncle Tom to the Giant Corporations in the white house, no matter what colour he is qualifies as fulfilling the legacy of MLK.

But to quote another great American revolutionary, better yet, let him speak for himself. This goes beyond race, because the race line has been crossed, its not just about black/white, it's about power, and what is happening with said power, and 'why'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1MsFj2ezv0

unsung

Obama is an Uncle Tom? That's funny. Well considering he received over 90% of the black vote in two elections I'm thinking they looked the other way or didn't vote based on his policies.

Idris

And I reckon your thinking is right.

Jason P

This thread has taken many bizarre turns.

Idris

Jason P said:

This thread has taken many bizarre turns.

I gotta admit, when I saw you replied in this thread I figured it was some smart,witty,pertinent reply, as I've come to expect from you.

Rather than a poor observation with no detail.

(Your 3D printed Bazooka is on hold until further notice)

Jason P

Idris said:

(Your 3D printed Bazooka is on hold until further notice)

:((

Losiento

Sorry. I believe in short written answers to get to the point quickly. Things can get very misconstrued very easily when on the computer. Most of my meaningful, intelligent and profound convos happen in person which doesn't happen often where I am at. At lunch today, I was thinking of a large beautiful statement about freedom, hence thought the translation again would be lost. This is my conclusion about how far we have come and we are still stunted.

Go Beavers

Godfather. said:

why do you think "we have not come very far"? and how far do you think we should go ? this dream bullshit just pisses me off,it's used like a weapon to play the racism game.
and the only failiure is man at a personal level,people can't keep blamming "whitie" for thier personal set backs but unfortunatly we got half a friggin country standing in line to cry in the pitty pool....I've been sick all weekend and short on political correctness so we'll let the chips fall where they may.

Godfather.

We get it. You don't think racism exists. Racism is hard to look at it, and we all have our own ways of dealing with that.

Go Beavers

unsung said:

A black man managed to become President, I'd say MLK's legacy is a successful one.

That said, current policies like how welfare works do more to keep the black race down and oppressed than anything the white man is doing.

So blindly anti-government that you'll minimize the effects of racism?

Godfather.

Go Beavers said:

Godfather. said:

why do you think "we have not come very far"? and how far do you think we should go ? this dream bullshit just pisses me off,it's used like a weapon to play the racism game.
and the only failiure is man at a personal level,people can't keep blamming "whitie" for thier personal set backs but unfortunatly we got half a friggin country standing in line to cry in the pitty pool....I've been sick all weekend and short on political correctness so we'll let the chips fall where they may.

Godfather.

We get it. You don't think racism exists. Racism is hard to look at it, and we all have our own ways of dealing with that.

I don't think you do but that's o.k because as you said we all have our own way of dealing with it.

Godfather.