We have a dream. Someday, in this great land of ours, people, including even lawyers and political activists, will come to believe that character really does matter.
We have a dream. We will no longer deify people who plagiarize their doctoral theses. If a man takes the title of Reverend, we’ll expect him to honor at least a few of the Ten Commandments. If a married man competes with Hugh Hefner for sexual conquests we won’t feel compelled to listen to his moral wisdom.
We have a dream. Someday black churches in America will not be manipulated as institutional power bases by ambitious black men. We’re starting to worry that the good reverends are using the Borgia Popes as their role models. We dream that the day will come when lawyers and politicians stop cynically using race as leverage to increase their wealth and power.
We have a dream. Someday, quiet people leading lives of unheralded virtue and real productivity will be honored. Someday all people, black and white, will realize that the real heroes aren’t the ones giving speeches filled with bombastic rhetoric.
Real heroes are quietly doing real work: building houses, writing software code, nursing the elderly, parenting the young – the whole cornucopia of human endeavor that actually results in better lives for real people.
We have a dream. Someday holidays will really matter, instead of serving as crass, meaningless tools of political correctness. People will actually give thanks on Thanksgiving. Christians will actually celebrate the birth of Christ on Christmas. New Year’s Day will mean something other than recovering from a hangover and watching football on the tube.
We have a dream. Someday Americans will realize that there’s something perverse about the idea of devoting an equal amount of time, and supposedly reverence, to:
- a single civil rights leader
- all of America’s presidents including founding fathers like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson
- and the thousands of men and women who have died defending the United States in wartime.
Yet we have one day for Presidents Day, one day for Memorial Day, and one day to celebrate the life of Martin Luther King, Jr.
We have a dream. Although we’re as sentimental as the next fool, we hope that someday we’ll all realize that early death does not qualify one for sainthood. Whether it be John F. Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Princess Diana, or Martin Luther King, dying young may be the road to legend, but hardly a guarantee that the life was worth remembering, much less celebrating.
Our final dream is that the day will come in America when one can criticize black cultural icons without being labeled as a racist. We call this the impossible dream.
Great words Straun Communications, but typical from the insensitive eyes of many white Americans now threatened by a false reality that ever oppressed minorities are now the cause for your fleeting dreams.
You see Straun, We often here America was a great nation when your founding forefathers gather in Massachusetts, New York & Philadelphia to initiate and build the Constitution even though at the same time, the atrocities of Armestad was an everyday occurrence. We often here America was the land of freedom when a whole race of Indians were simply annihilated for Americas’ growth in ‘God We Trust’.
Your editorial outrage is quite true in some respects to identify problems but fails like most systematic emotional pieces, to explain why & how and then suggest a realistic solution.
All the inadequacies you mention involving the Black churches, Christmas day, reverends, MLK birthday, real heroes, death count in U.S. wars, political correctness and the qualifications of Sainthood etc., are merely pomp & circumstances to illuminate the same animus, evil, bombastic emotions of historic abuse this nation has bestowed upon its own captives and there children. America is great in physical might much like Rome was and will sooner or later divide from within.
Today America wants to make the struggle of minorities her downfall instead of understanding her foundation was set on the injustices of others. Americans must understand, ‘God is not Mocked’, America will reap what she has sowed. That ‘s why today we still live in a land where special laws ‘Civil Rights’ must be enacted upon a Constitution of paper written 100’s of years ago to cover all human rights.
Today we have too many Bigots in high places who are still networking to hold on to ‘yesteryears’ traditions and spoils from there tyrannical, racist and evil forefathers, instead of letting go and sharing the wealth among the children of those desecrated.
So in closing I say to you my friend, it’s not about today and dreams. It’s about hundreds of years of well entrenched patterns of injustices which has become the blue print of our soceity and ultimate failure.
Until we realize that, we will only look at fleeting dreams, compare our pride to poor or less powerful nations and never see own reality until we strike the iceberg. God Bless.
Time: 1/20/98 (7:11:12)
Time: 1/20/98 (1:13:4)
Time: 1/20/98 (0:14:44)
Time: 1/19/98 (19:49:5)
Time: 1/19/98 (19:8:52)
Time: 1/19/98 (18:5:18)
I have a dream that one day all the freaks in Massechussets who elect dirtbags the likes of Barney “I let my gay lover run a prostitution and drug ring in my own home and am still in Congress to tell about it” Franks and Ted “Hero of Chappequidic” Kennedy will go to war with Hollywood and both “planets” will be entirely depopulated. I dream that one day low life scum such as the guy who played woody harrelson on Cheers will one day be laughed out of hollywood for being an irresponsible spoiled brat. I dream that one day Oliver Stone’s twisted movies will be seen for the french inspired twisted drug fest that they really are, and be huge embarressing flops. I dream that one day morality, honesty, and decency will once again be standars for Americans that are cherrished. I dream of an America that once again has a military that doesn’t have its every decision made by hippies trying to destroy it as they underfund it and tinker with its values. A military whos privates aren’t on foodstamps, which has the capibilty that a nation the size of America should have. I dream of well trained soldiers who are once agian allowed to cuss amoungst themselves, and who are real men proud of their commander in chief. I dream of a society where please and thank you, sir and maam are socially accepted standards, not abhorations of the norm. I dream of a society in which drug dealers and car jackers are truly afraid of what might happen if the police catch them, and in which prisons are real punishment, with long durations, and sentances that are harder, not easier than rules followed by people in military life. I dream of a country with a real death penalty, in which there is one appeal, no more. I dream of a country with a foreign affairs policy like Reagan’s: clear, concise, predictable, solid. I dream of an electorate that chooses men of integrity and responsibilty to lead them, and who toss corrupt dirtbags out on their keisters.
Now that was a nice little dream. It even produced a shudering sigh from me when I finished writing it. If only some of this would come true.
Time: 1/22/98 (16:56:44)
Time: 1/21/98 (18:9:43)
Time: 1/21/98 (16:1:46)
Time: 1/21/98 (13:40:19)
Time: 1/21/98 (10:39:33)
Time: 1/20/98 (21:17:23)
Time: 1/20/98 (18:4:3)
Time: 1/20/98 (17:11:23)
My last peice veared off the path, more into a day dream, but I read on below to read a critisism of the peice that cases comment from me (this time more relevent to the topic). I believe, as many Americans do that MLK was a great man. The true tragedy of the situation is, that his followers have missed the mark. Jesse Jackson preaches for racial equality, and then labels all of NYC as “hiemytown”. Al Sharpton is a charleton. He is a disgrace to the human race in general. He has made his living expanding the racial devide. The Tiwana Brawley case was a clear cut racial witch hunt, where not only was the case thrown out, but Sharpton had to later pay for a defemation suit. The point is that too many black leaders make their money by causing racial strife. They are professional trouble makers. No one denies that there are not dirtbags who are white who make a modest living spewing hate and causing racial devide, surely, not the champaign lifestyle of Jackson, but at least a trailer payment or two. But too many black leaders hold other Blacks down. They seek to expand welfare- which guys like Gen Colon Powell- who rose to greatness from the steats of Harlem- will tell you only hurts. Some of these “leaders” are nothing more than champions of professional victimization. They want people to be kept back so that they have power. True equality lies in the California and Texas Proposals to eliminate discrimination of all kinds. Quotas are an insult. True there are many black leaders who would agree with me, but not enough have risen to prominence in America, because if people who happen to have more mellanin in their skin than I do happen to want a designated (self proclaimed or otherwise) leader, that hapens to have similar mellenin levels, then I belive it should be one like King who tells people not what they need to force the government to do or where a riot should occur if a certain verdict goes the wrong way, but rather that they can achieve, that they need to make their schools and neighborhoods safer by changing thier own attitude. Leaders should have a goal for success, not for strife and conflict that has no purpse.
you guys are sick.
totally, totally wrong.
sorry.
it’s too bad that you think the way you do.
fgoijujklioukiupkipujlkoi8pkj780lkjpi8-lj-078oiloi98k
the more things change the more they remain the same.in 53 years i have listened to a lot of talk and complaining.but very little lasting change
the more things change the more they remain the same.in 53 years i have listened to a lot of talk and complaining.but very little lasting change
I THINK THAT IS TRUE. I THINK HE DID A LOT OF GOOD THINKS FOR HIS PEOPLE. BUT JUST BECAUSE HE IS AFRO AMERICAN DOES NOT MEAN THAT HE SHOULD HAVE IS OWN HOLIDAY. THEN ITALIAN AMERICANS OR IRISH AMERICANS SHOULD ALSO HAVE THERE OWN DAY.
As a military veteran I cannot believe there is a national holiday for Dr. King. So many veterans of all races gave their lives defending this great nation. During WW11 while segregation was the norm, many minority G.I’s gave everything they had because they believed that all men are created equal. What more noble thing can a human being do than to put his very life on the line for a country that segregates him from others? Dr. King did work for a noble cause but never had to suffer the horror of war.
Why is it that the term “caucasian” is not offensive to anyone, but the term “negro” is? It is my understanding that these are the familiar terms for the scientific terms “caucasiod” and “negroid”. I suppose anyone who ever had to write a research paper for anthropology class is a racist?
Chraracter really does matter.
MLK was more important than all the idiots fighting and dying for the United States.
NO! mlk DOESN’T deserve a national holiday. He was a socialist for openers, and taught at a training camp for up an coming socialists. (socialist, since there never has been a true communist)
No, I do not feel MLK needs a national holiday….and congrats to whoever wrote the article, it was great.
Just as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was formed, so should a National Association for the Advancement of White People be formed; the National Association for the Advancement of Indian People; the National Association for the Advancement of Asian People; ect… ect… ect…
Now you have the NAACP, the NAAWP, the NAAAP, the NAAIP and whatever other NAA?P you want to propagate for the 4th word. Just think, we will all be equal and no discrimination involved.
To those who feel they are discriminated against, go back to the homeland of your roots and see what happens!
Dr. King believed ALL people could live harmoniuosly and it was a greater vision than the seperatist rabble-rousers constantly stirring the pot, keeping people alienated from one another that we have now.
I think a day in honor of his work to advance not only civil rights but also his vision of a raceless society deserve remembering… maybe one day we can all see the error in our ways and look that way again.
You posed the wrong question. Does the Reverend Doctor Martin Lurther King deserve to be the only American to have a national holiday in his memory?
David
i love that essay! that sums up every belief i have concerning racism, political lies, and our general lack of respect for anything in society! very well written!
MLK does NOT deserve a day of his own. If we are to honor
someone, let’s all have one day, IE President’s Day as a hoilday of
remembrance. Not a national holiday for one man. We don’t even have a day
to remember JFK and he WAS our president! Go figure.
You nailed that one, guys!!! Keep up the great work in saying what most everone else is afraid to say…This country has a ‘propaganda’ machine equal to or greater than the old USSR ever thought about having…!!!!
Although I consider myself a concerative, I have a dream
that one day we will live in a world where neither side will
feel the need to steriotype all those who disagree with us.
Instead we will deal with one another in grace, as God has
dealt with us in Christ.
Martin Luther King was as much a user and
abuser of women as bill clinton. He is just
another person in the world.
A holiday? Gimme a break.
We have MLK Day because the Congress, the people’s representatives,
made a decision that this particular American leader deserved
to be honored in this manner. Perhaps it was intended to be
a statement of American values as much as a way to honor
one man. Perhaps our lawmakers were saying that Americans
believe that all men are created equal, regardless of the color
of their skin. Based on some of the responses to the essay,
I’d say we still have a long way to go before we fully embrace
this ideal.
Yes, I do believe that MLK deserves a day of recognition for hi bravery and ideals and for breaching the walls of segregation. After returning to camp LeJeune after Korea, I was stunned to find that I couldn’t bring a couple of my Korean vet black buddies to the USO to relax. THE USO, A GOVERNMENT FUNDED INSTITUTION, WAS RESERVED FOR WHITES ONLY. What a lousy message. Yes…He does deserve a day…at least.
I am a white coservative for Alan Keyes, the best man running for president. Let’s get over prejudice…Vote for Alan.
Of course Martin Luther King deserves a national holiday.
Unlike Bill Clinton for instance, who would led you down the path of lies to better himself, MLK wanted a good, decent and secure life for EVERYONE.
I’m outraged only by the filthy-mouthed posters who hate anyone who isn’t exactly like THEM — white, hateful, malicious, spiteful, vicious, bigoted…
Your latest outrage was humorous, but sadly misguided. Dr. King is honored not only for who he was, but the cause he represents.
If it’s peace we’re celebrating, why equate it with only one segment of the population? The black population of the US is only 13% yet have any white people attented MLK events? I guess it’s to let them feel what it’s like to be a minority. And you can’t get rid of it as a holiday, Look at the Rodney King affair. Better to have a national human rights day. That everyone could celebrate.
Dr. King was a great man of high ideals who brought about much needed change in America. Through his legacy, many Americans, both conservatives; as myself, and liberals, have moved beyond “our fathers” generations’ attitudes of prejudice and racism. Despite his great accomplishments, many that will be enduring, there are other men and women of color and those not of color who are more deserving of a national holiday than Dr. King. Let me present a short list of “nominees” which is subjective at best. For consideration-Henry Ford, Clara Barton, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Sackaweja, Guglielmo Marconi, Orville and Wilbur Wright, Fredrick Ganting, Alexander Fleming, Chester Floyd Carlson, Jonas Salk, the man (whose name escapes me at the moment, but was an African American) that discovered plasma Neil Armstrong, Jackie Robinson and countless others. We should not let race alone be the sole criteria for selection.
Still haven’t figured out why the kids get a day off for MLK. While we’re at it, let’s pick another 6 “heroes” and just take the whole week off. What the heck. You name it – let’s make it a national holiday. I’m tired of the politically correct crowd and the thought police. Why is it no one can have an opinion anymore without being labeled a racist, bigot, etc.? Besides, what the heck did MLK do to warrant a day off for the kiddies and others? Make a speech? Big whoop.
What you have stated about MLK and the nonsense surrounding this man is true. Why do we have to endure the praises of a reprobate?
Your comments are right on the mark. Keep up the good work!
I think many of the people who support the King holiday have no idea what Dr. King was really like. The FBI had a number of files on Dr. King that are unfortunately sealed until the year 2027.
In January, 1987 a (now defunct) publication called Conservative Digest ran a rather long article about these FBI files (apparently a few “trusted” people have been allowed to see them). The bottom line, according to the article, is that the files indicate that King was an embezzler, was sexually immoral, and had relationships with Soviet agents.
One paragraph from the article reads as follows:
[Begine quote:]
It is interesting to note that the F.B.I.’s assistant director in charge of
domestic intelligence, William C. Sullivan, thought there were four solid
grounds for Bureau investigation of King, reported Professor Garrow:
“embezzlement, employing prostitutes, alienating wives’ affections from their
husbands, and violation of the Mann Act” – a federal crime which involves
taking women across state lines for immoral purposes. Little wonder that a
typical Bureau memo on this man spoke of exposing “King for the clerical fraud
and Marxist he is at the first opportunity.”
[End quote]
The article briefly speculates that his murder may have been at the hands of the Communist agents who feared that his ties to the Communist party were about to be publicly exposed.
Nobody doubts that Dr. King’s death advanced the cause of civil rights, but the question is whether we should honor the memory of a particular person who had so many character defects. In short, does a person who apparently was fairly bankrupt in the areas of character and morals deserve to be held up as an icon before our children?
If so, then I expect we’ll soon be getting Bill Clinton’s birthday off as a national holiday. We could even use it to advance another currently popular cause – the prevention of sexually transmitted disease!
In fact, we could export this idea. The Russians ought to give the kids a day off for Joseph Stalin, and the Germans for you-know-who, to remind people about the need for population control. After all, it seems the cause is more important than the person anyway, or so some of those who have already posted here would have us believe.
Certainly agree with today’s outrage.
Martin Luther King was a horrible man and does not deserve any kind of honor. Let alone a National Holiday. He was a brutal womanizer and ardent communist he brings shame to all peoples involved in the civil rights movement. God have mercy on his soul.
Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presly, and Princess Di in the same paragraph as King? Gimme a break.I don’t know if King is worthy of the honor–but the others? No way!
I also have a dream. Where equality is not pre-determined by the amount of money I spend. Where race is merely an outer garment, irrespective of the inner man.
As far as giving credence to one singular man in the name of political correctness – perhaps one day our children will mock us as they encroach upon true freedom. Then again, perhaps they will delve even deeper into the depths of politically correct depravity and pseudo-moraility. ‘
Then again, perhaps not.
-t
MLK(like most blacks are today) was the most racist being on the planet. Try having a two minute conversation with a black without their bringing up race. It’s always “poor me, you owe me something, say you like me or I’ll report you, we be so wise and beautiful” and on and on. Most(and I say most because there are exceptions to everything) are foul mouthed, loud, obnoxious, stupid, and “jive idiots”.And to them, anyone who doesn’t like them is a racist. They are actually to stupid to realize that the problem is their culture and not their color. They’ve about ridden a good horse to death in this country. Slavery(anywhere on earth) scares me to death. But I’m not at all sure that blacks can handle freedom..from day one they abuse it and become like a “disease” to the rest of society. The saddest part is that the “non black” children of our country are being told that if they don’t embrace and love every aspect of the black society, they should be ashamed of themselves. I would suggest to black Americans that they get the chip off their shoulder, learn to speak english, decide if they’re African or American, get out of my face, and make their own way like the rest of us have to do. They need to realize that under a great many forms of government their type would be machine gunned down in about five minutes…they need to stop trying to “change” America. They’ve got a pretty good deal going here.
Abolish all holidays except the following:
Memorial Day
4th of July
Labor day
Abolish Saturday & Sunday as a weekend; make them regular working days; Make Monday & Tuesday as weekend days.
Character Counts. MLK had little, if any! You canNOT seperate a man’s character and his deeds. MLK’s private deeds reflected his non-character. While he advocated a color blind society what his followers now perpetuate is a color conscious society where everyone makes “extra” for black color people. This is not what MLK supposedly stood for. No character… NO holiday!
I disagree with Outrage. An M.L.King is a great reminder to all of us of how much harm can be done by the tyranny of a majority (read the Federalist Papers.) It also renews our faith in one person’s ability to make a difference. Hurray for Martin Luther King and his day.
I am glad that someone has the balls to say what needs to be said about the politically correct and outrageous idea of a holiday for the late racist, Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin L. King Jr. was trained by the Communist Party
and was financed by the Communist Party, although I do
agree with his dream that no one should be judged by the
color of their skin or their religius beleifs. All men should
held responsiblefor his own actions and words and not
be a burden on society .
Government does nothing to produce wealth, so therefore
if you receive any aid or substance assistance from the
Government then you are a burden on other citizens that
work and provide these things for themselfs and families
and could provide more for their family if the Government
did not take from them a part of their wealth to give to a
person that ha sno job, want’s no job , makes no effort to
get a job.
I say to this person living off my back , “you are a millstone around the neck
around the neck of all productive Americans for if it were
not for you I could give a lot more to my family and if I cho-
ose to give any amount to a charity of my choice I will do
so ,but I resent having to support you against my will.
Thank you for this opportunity to get this off my chest.
Robert Stallings
Let’s all get along. Let’s live as Jesus showed us. Make good use of the holiday, read the bible. The Bible contains all you need “LOVE”.
NO, MLK, Jr. does not rate a national holdiday. It’s thats simple.
Such a commentary as the one concerning Martin Luther King, Jr. might well have some people thinking you are off your “Rocker”. One P.C. shrink, coming up !
This is a response to Mr. Robert Stallings post. I agree with
you up to a point, but I think that what you do not understand
is that if america were still a free society, there would be
a lot fewer people on the welfare rolls. If you don’t like all the
people living off of the government (in effect, you) then you
should get upset with a government that penalizes people
for trying to be productive and support themselves.
To give you a brief example, consider that during the great depression
many people got by because they went into business for
themselves, even if only by selling apples from a street
corner. Now, it doesn’t take great intelligence to sell apples
from a street corner – if you can count change you can probably
do it (not to say it’s the perfect job, but many peple could handle it).
But could you do that nowadays? Heck no! First of all there’s
probably laws in your town prohibiting street peddling – the
local supermarkets don’t like the competition, you see. But
even if that were not the case, you’d have to file for a business
license, fill out all sorts of paperwork, and maybe you’d need
a cash register to keep records that the government thinks proper.
What I am trying to say is that up until about 30 or 40 years ago,
we rewarded individual initiative. Now we penalize it, and reward
people for not working. People are not stupid – if you make
it hard for them to do honest work, and easy for them to not work,
what do you suppose many people will do?
Or take people who have health or mental problems, that might
be able to work only four hours a day, but gvernment regulations
are such that most businesses find it cheaper to hire one person
and work them 8-12 hours a day rather than two or three four hour
workers (Why? Because the government says you have to provide
all sorts of “benefits” for each employee). So the person who could
be productive up to the limits of their capability are told to just shut
up and take a monthly check (in fact, they are told that if they DO find
only part time work, they will lose their health care coverage from the
state – and no employer I know of provides health care for part time
employees).
So, Mr. Stallings, I don’t blame you for being upset, but please
be upset with the right people – your elected representatives
who have tried to box everyone into one mold, leaving little
room for the person who can’t work the conventional 8 hour shift
and who can’t handle all kinds of paperwork just to start a little
business of their own. Believe me when I say that many of
the people who receive the benefits are also quite upset, since
they are told that any actions they take to help themselves or their
families will be penalized, but if they will just shut up and take the
food stamps, money, and medical care, they will be okay (and
the government bureaucrats who administer such programs
get to keep their jobs).
There are some things about the Libertarian party’s platform that I
think are totally wrong, but in general they have the right idea,
which is that every time government gets involved in something,
they really screw it up. In their effort to enforce “fairness”, they
set up programs that aren’t fair to anybody. They stifle ambition,
and by the way, they also usurp one of the legitimate functions
of the church, which is to help the poor (and it’s probably no
concidence that church attendence and committment has fallen
since the government started doing things that the church has
always traditionally done).
So if you are going to be angry about the government giving away
your hard-earned money, that’s fine – but just remember, the people
who are taking it don’t perceive it as stealing from you, because
in many cases they are given few other options, and they aren’t
the ones doing the taking – it’s your elected officials playing the
part of Robin Hood (or maybe hoods robbing). Also, if you are
consistent in your beliefs, you won’t accept any social security
when you turn 65 – that, after all, is simply welfare for the elderly.
Or, you could try to understand that it’s not just people being
lazy – sometimes that is the case but a lot of these people would
have got along just fine under the system we had during the
all-too-brief period after the civil war, when there was freedom
for all, little government interference in people’s day-to-day
lives, and the states had not yet institutionalized discrimination.
(which lasted until the 1960’s or later in some states!).
ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!
VOTE FOR ALAN KEYES!
MLK shouldn’t have a special
holiday unless Robert E. Lee
gets one, two. Or Alvin York,
for that matter
not in a million years
NO!!! I do not think MLK deserves his own holiday! My husband has been serving in the US Navy for almost six years. I think the men and women who devote their lives every day to protect OUR freedoms should be honored and remembered. I think it is a terrible world to live in where we forget those who gave all so that we may live with our freedoms.
Yes, he deserves a day so people remember USA is an
international country, where all the people, whatever be the colour
have a dream of human rights respect, non violent civilisation
equal chances for evry one.
Democracy is still a dream…
I think MLK deseves his own day. He fought for what he believed in using NON-Violence. Now I think we shouldnt celebrate St. Patricks Day. That is outrageous. How bout that.
MLK Holiday January 20.
Yes,I think that MLK should have a national holiday.I also think that we should also honor a day for all the people we lost in wars,and the ones that are still fighting for our country today.
Do you Americans never learn anything!!!
MLK was killed for what he believed in, therefore he deserves a holiday in his name, along with all of your people ever killed in a war, they all died for their beliefs. It does not matter whether history shows them to be right or wrong.
They were Americans behaving within the law, when they were killed and therefore deserve the respect of the American people.
If one wanted to celebrate the life of a man who helped bring equality and end slavery, I suggest Fredrick Douglass, who did more in his life than MLK did.
– He spoke to crowds about equal rights for blacks when he could be returned as an escaped slave. He had more to lose than just some jail time or being tear gased, but he did it anyways.
– He helped frame the Civil War as a war against slavery.
– He worked with the US Army to form some of the first black army units.
– He was one of the first blacks to hold high government office.
His list of accomplishments to fight for civil rights when blacks were still slaves overshadows MLK’s accomplishments.
Yet, he made two mistakes …
1. He died in his bed, so he can’t be held up as a martyr.
2. He lived and succeeded in a time without a mass-media who wants to make and destroy heros as part of their need to make news and form historial opinion.
I don’t care who gets a national holiday if it gets me a day off with pay, otherwise nobody should get one.
He was a great speaker….let me say that again…he was a great “speaker”….That’s it! He certainly did not live his life as he spoke…Any questions?
I don’t think we should have a Holiday for King. Give me a break
what good did he do for anyone. He was such a loudmouth.
I think he talked just to hear himself. We should have a holiday for J.F.K
if we have to have a holiday. NO No NO
No, I do NOT believe The REV. DR. Martin Luther King, Jr.
deserves a national holiday.
Your myopic view relating to the celebration of MLK Day really fascinates me! First of all, I agree that it’s a bit odd that we celebrate the birthday of a single man; so I choose to honor him as a SYMBOL of other great people of ALL races who have worked for our freedom and equality. Perhaps we should have a national Diversity Day, to celebrate and honor ALL minorities who have contributed to the development of this nation. But somehow I assume that you would bark at this suggestion as well – I’ll conjecture that you’ll contend such a day isn’t necessary, but I suspect, and I’ll suggest that such a defense would be merely a cover up for a very obvious racist agenda to which you and your supporters will not admit, but which I have no doubt is really behind your pathetic, and the right-wings incessant condemnation of a holiday honoring a great civil rights leader.
It’s funny; over the past several years I’ve watched with amusement as the folks in my neighboring state, South Carolina have used the same thinly-veiled racist tactics you employ in defense of flying the Rebel Flag over their State House, proclaiming the flying of the flag an expression of pride in their heritage and NOT an anti-black statement. Well, I don’t buy it. I’m white, and I’ve talked with many white folks in the South – my lifelong home – who’ve made no secret of their prejudices toward blacks. I have to tell you – the South’s come a long way since my youthful days in the ’60s, but we still have a long way to go, AS DOES THE REST OF THE NATION, toward the acceptance of people who are different. In other words, though we’ve made a lot of progress, there’s still alot of racism around. It’s interesting to note, too, that the flag didn’t fly over the State House until the ’60s when the desegregation issue frightened the white establishment and encouraged a resurgence of hate groups, such as the Klan, and hate speech, and hateful thought and the resurgence in sales of Confederate flags.
I find it interesting that you advise us not to morn the early deaths of cultural icons such as John F. Kennedy, Elvis and Marilyn Monroe. Perhaps, once again, there’s a thinly-disguised agenda here as well. No mention of the likes of Lee Atwater, who was a slimeball, but who was also a human being who died too soon. Only anti-establishment / anti-conservative / lightweight figures (Princess Di and Marilyn being compared to MLK? Give me a break!) were singled out in this particular dream sequence. The omission of darlings of the right who met an early demise is fascinating, isn’t it?
And you talk about your dream that people “will come to realize that character really does matter”, and your discuss your dream that “If a married man competes with Hugh Hefner for sexual conquests we won’t feel compelled to listen to his moral wisdom” . Yet, the very people who attack the character of, say, Dr. King, or of Bill Clinton (let’s be honest…that’s who you’re REALLY talking about, isn’t it? See…another of your thinly-veiled agendas is easily exposed by THIS clever liberal!) don’t seem to have any problem supporting the transgressions of such paragons of moral behavior and virtue as George W. Bush, Oliver North, G. Gordon Liddy, right-wing South American dictators, Bob Livingston, Tom Delay, Bob Barr, Henry Hyde, et.al. And all the while Bill Clinton was attack by your side for showing a lack of character for evading a war he opposed (as did MANY other good Americans) – a war that, by the way, Dr. King also eloquently and correctly opposed, so did those darlings of the conservative movement evade that very same war: folks like Dick Cheney, Newt Gingrich, Rush Limbaugh, Dan Quayle, Dick Armey, Al D’Amato and Phil Gramm – draft dodgers all, to name but a few. Funny that when conservatives bring up draft dodgers, only Clinton’s name is mentioned. (Oh, I’m sorry – Quayle wasn’t REALLY a draft dodger since he used his father’s influence to proudly serve this nation…on a golf course far, far from Vietnam!)
I too have a dream – that the conservative movement will whining about the mythical liberal media since THEY control much of the airwaves, and quit being so hypocritical and holier-than-thou in their dealings with moderates and liberals, and quit using poorly disguised innuendo to attack good, hardworking and patriotic Americans with racist and anti-liberal rants, such as your “I have a dream” piece. Hey, I’m not perfect, but you guys are FAR from perfection! When I think back to the corruption in the Ollie North / Ronald Reagan / George Bush White House and the Nixon White House, it makes me laugh that the best you guys can come up with is that Bill Clinton is a pot-smoking, womanizing, draft-dodging liberal. Hey, I’m not a fan of his behavior, but you have to do better than that to get me to condemn him in favor of the “heroic” work of Asa Hutchinson and Bob Barr and Bob Livingston and Tom DeLay and Jesse Helms (my “beloved” Senator) and Ollie North and the other Bozos who wish for a morally courageous nation, but who, themselves, fall short of the standards they would set for / impose upon others.
Let Freedom ring as we honor the legacy of a great man tomorrow!
No I don’t think there should be a holiday for MLK, because there were so many other black americans that were far greater individuals then MLK. For Example, Harriette Tubbman, Frederick Douglas, among others. MLK was fortunate enough to make his statement of equality on a Political Platform rather than a patriotic one. His assasination was tragic but does not elevate him to martyr status in the civil rights movement. Nor does it warrant a national holiday. There are many Americans who quietly carry out the struggle for civil rights without the aid of politicians or a political platform. These people should be honored with a national holiday. Solely because of there love of God, Family, Country and their fellow man, regardless of skin color.
Right on line
Too many times someone has to say something that sounds nice and people accept it as a solution to problems without bothering to see if it really accomplishes anything. many people think if some one cares it is the same as solving a problem.
Does Martin Luther King deserve a special holiday? No.
As you have stated so well, the idea of a holiday devoted to the life of a self-serving civil rights leader, when compared to the truely great people in the history of this country, is absurd. The United States government, always seeking to appease African Americans and avoid their constant threats of mass destruction in the inner cities, gave this special holiday as a peace token. Now, we have a new winter holiday called Kwanza or something along that line and everyone is supposed to be supportive of that little gem as well.
<P>
Have you noticed that Monty Python isn’t as funny today as it was when it first appeared in our homes? It’s getting too damn close to reality for all us.
The OUTRAGE seems to have struck a nerve in the Carolina’s but the individual was a bit too cowardly to post his email address for a direct response. His ignorance of reality and gross distortions of history are actually funny in a perverse ort of way. He/she is obviously paranoid in regard to the Right Wing Conspiracy, with the comments about the control of the media but never let it be said that the socialist types ever let the truth slow them down. Just for the record, I served in military and I never resented anyone who signed on for the Peace Corp, as an alternative to military service. I wasn’t bothered by the fact that while I served in a less than friendly environment, others were working on installations near our major cities with lots of golf courses. I volunteered for the whole nine yards. So, for vets, your comments are those of one who knows nothing about it. Then you get hysterical when you start talking about poorly disguised attacks on your beloved leader. You will have to admit that for the first time since Benedict Arnold, we had an American leader sell us out to those that would destroy us (China)and I don’t want to confuse you with sly suggestions so, William Jefferson Clinton, is a liar – as determined by a federal judge. William Clinton, confessed his guilt and paid the penalty as prescribed by law. That isn’t something made up by the Right Wing Conspiracy! It’s a fact. We are now being governed by a FELON. Interesting. A final comment on the Confederate Battle Flag just for you: If you don’t like it, don’t look at it! Suck it up, sweetie…life isn’t always going to go your socialist way. Hell, I’m a yankee and I have great respect for that flag and what it stood for, a brave people, who in the face of overwhelming odds, fought for what they believed in to the bitter end. Even Grant’s Army acknowledged that with the honor they gave to the surrender of the Army of Virginia. You really should read a few books and stop watching so much MTV.
Re: the MLK holiday, one thought. If MLK is made a martyr,
would we not be forced to abandon the national holiday as
it then being a violation of the laws seperating church & state?
I definitely think Martin Luther King Day should exist and be a national holiday because he effected so many people for the better, I beleive, but I back up pretty much everything else in the outrage. Note: Some people may not be able to tell,I think, that he is still affecting us now which is good, an eye opener to how aweful people have been treated in the past just because of something as plain as the color of their skin. Martin Luther King Day helps to recognize what happened so we don’t let it happen again. We can prevent bad things like racism from happening if we see how and that it has already happened. There is a saying people who don’t learn history…are doomed to repeat it. Learn racism…learn what it brings…death is all I see it bringing.
For the record (ok, an imaginary record). The quote is from Georges Santayana’s ‘Life is Reason’ and should probably read “Those who are ignorant of history are doomed to FULFILL it.” Don’t worry, most everyone gets it wrong. It’s in translation.
I think that the confederate flag mayor may not mean or even may or may not be defined as something good… even people who stand stand up for it are just plain and dimply racist against everyone and single race unless it’s their own, I think think that’s just plain and simply wrong, I know I’d hate to be discriminated against just plain and dimoly because I’m white
I may get my e-mail overloaded because of this, but Hell No! My first exposure to the public MLK was in the mid-50’s when Jet Magazine (a Negro pictorial publication) ran a full page photo of “The Reverend Martin Luther King” being escorted into the emergency room of a Detroit hospital with a large screwdriver protruding from his chest. It had been so inserted by a jealous husband who resented being cuckolded by even such a holy personage as MLK. His being given a national holiday is the epitome of hipocracy. In so doing, he was being judged by the color of his skin (and how many black votes that could buy) and the charisma of his oratory. If, as he had asked in his most famous speech, he had been judged solely on the content of his character, we would still have separate holidays for Washington and Lincoln, an Armistice Day and, hopefully, January 15th would be open to honor the end of WWII, or other equally worthy causes. I may be a racist, but I voted for a black man in the last presidential primaries even though I still believe OJ Simpson is one guilty SOB! Too bad there is no way of rescinding this shameful holiday without inviting nationwide riots by racist blacks.
M.L. King purported to be a man of peace, but riots, death and destruction followed wherever he went. He does not deserve a national holiday. It is a political gimmick and nothing else
Let’s see if I have this right…MLK, jr: Liar/plagiarist, inveterate womanizer, Communist sympathizer…yeah, he should be judged by the content of his character, not by the color of his skin. He was a ‘character’ all right. If this is the icon held up by the black community, they are in desparate need for a real hero.
While I know little about King’s life, and to be honest don’t really care much, it still strikes me as ridiculous for conservatives to lambast him for his alleged character flaws, siting nothing more than sealed FBI files. Awfully convenient that those files are sealed, huh? If you’re going to start knocking down ‘liberal’ heroes for their character flaws, then to be fair you’ll have to start criticizing ‘conservative’ heroes for their equally egragious private sins. For everything that could be said about MLK, something equally horrid could be said about such right-wing bastions as Reagan, Ollie North, and other felonious liars. So how about everyone shut the <bleep> up? We’ll all be happier that way.
PS And so what if he was a socialist? Ya drive on the interstate and send your kids to public schools, don’t you? All paid for with taxes, paid by all to (allegedly) support the greater good. _THAT’S_ a form of socialism, isn’t it?
Someone needs to tell me what the hell is going on here anyways!! I say we switch the MLK holiday to Jesse Jackson Day. He’s the one ALL people can be proud of. He has helped so many people. He has even come to help in our fight against corporations and business owners who think they can just treat their workers like crap, let them strike for nearly 7 years, and then spit in our faces. Jesse has helped us TEAMSTERS—-Black, White, Yellow etc, get our lives back on track. WE SALUTE YOU JESSE!! Now as far as MLK goes, well we all know he was no Martyr or Saint. His death caused a nation to fight amongst each other. Obviously, no one was touched by his words. Ha d they even listed, why was there turmoil!!!??
YES! MKL deserves a national holiday…….just as much as Redd Foxx or the big Puff Daddy Puffer or whatever the hell his name is…..after all, if you can get into Jennifer Lopez’s drawers, you should be a hero also!
Kudos to you. It’s really nice to have someone tell it like it is. There is no doubt
this holiday was initiated by “feel good” liberals who were trying to placate inner city rabble rousers. It is unfortunate that he was killed so young but if he hadn’t been he would have been no different then the self serving Jesse Jackson. There are so many brilliant contemporary blacks like Clarence Thomas, Tom Sowell and Walter Williams, it’s a shame that all of the media attention goes to self servers like Jackson, Sharpton and Farrakhan
once again, keep up the good work
The reason that a controversial “leader” from a controversial
“protected” minority has a national holiday all to himself while
real patriots have only consolidated holidays or none at all
is because the overwhelming majority of people that can do
something(vote,protest,fight etc.) do nothing at all.Apathetic
couch potatoes abdicate all responsibility to their so-called
elected “representatives” who take their tax money and pros
titute themselves to the highest bidder.Most likely those
doing the bidding are the professional victims that have been
steadily emerging since the 60’s since any other groups having
a more logical viewpoint have all been censored in the name
of political correctness.So as long as this trend continues
unchallenged you can expect to see even more unworthy people
getting their own national holidays. How do we stop this cancer
from spreading even further you ask? Well since it was detected
early but nothing was done about it we need radical surgery. Tax
money is the life blood of all of this mess.We as free people need
to cut off this legalized extortion by voting,protesting and,if
necessary,fighting…..yes brewski boys in front of the tube, fighting.
Freedom from politically correct tyranny of which you have only
seen the beginning requires that you stand up for what you feel
is right even in the face of outrageous, sometimes violent attacks
on your beliefs.Wake up and live or sit back down on the couch
and watch your culture fade into obscurity along with your
lives. As for the rants sent in by the liberal from North
Carolina (anonymus coward),Carol Hoffman (only whites
are bigots) and Peace (should be Piece of …) On Earth I say enjoy
your snobbish ignorant bliss because you didn’t contribute
to the past nor will you most likely to the future.
There does need to be at least _one_ official day to remember the struggles and achievements of various oppressed groups. I just wish Martiin Luther King were less of a token name due do to the timing of his choice to become a “martyr.” Despite recent political antics, so called heroes and role models ought to be judged on their behavior as a whole person (including responsibilities of husband, father, etc.) which King seemed to have forgotten frequently as he buried his adulterous activities behind devout ambitions. His raising raising homophobic offspring is hardly something to celebrate either. There are certainly other more contemporary and admirable figures who deserve national recoignition.
no, he doesn’t deserve a holiday. and whats this black history month crap? white people have done many great things for this country too. and you can’t leave out the mexicans. and while you’re at it, why isn’t there an asian history month? how can you only have a month for one race? i feel that i am being discriminated against
It was the government that contracted for him to be
killed because he was a danger to their plans. The
government got a bonus out of the hit by calling him a
hero and wasting a holiday on him. He was really a
plagiarizing womanizer who be nothing today if not for
the government trying to placate blacks by making a
hero out of King
By the way… What the hell is Kwanza? That was made
up too!
I don’t believe that martin
luther queen should have
a holiday. It is bogus and
he was a fool. A big bogus
FOOL!
Just a couple of thoughts… In the last 100 years, people of various races, colors and creeds have immigrated to this country, and within a relatively short time, achieved not only some degree of success, but social and cultural acceptance. Many started with nothing and arrived not speaking the english language.
During that same 100 years, only two groups generally seemed unable to adapt to the “American Culture”, ..The blacks who have been here for generations and the American Indians that were here hundreds if not thousands of years before the first Europeans.
While politically incorrect to discuss, .. I wonder sometimes, if it could be that there are genetic differences in these two groups, given their tribal and nomadic ancestries?
Could it be that their inability to fully adapt to the “American culture” and as races live contentedly and homogeneously with all others is restricted by genetic differences?
Could it be that 20th century leaders while attempting to improve the plight of their race should have considered the essence of the people they were trying to assist?
Would these races be better off today if their leaders had first looked at their own instead of blaming those from other races for their plight?
A national holiday and celebration perhaps would be in order for the person who can take credit for causing these races to realize that whatever discrimination encountered is caused.
M. L. King unfortunately was not that person, for while he was instrumental in bringing attention to discrimination, he did little to encourage his race to achieve deserved acceptance.
Great Outrage on “MLK Holiday.” Well written, well
thought out, full of truth. Keep up the excellent work!
But be careful; John Rocker only spoke what so many
think, and look at the trouble he’s in.
The comments invoking the name of John Rocker, calling him M.L. Queen, pnated against … all leave me feeling queasy.
King may not be perfect – are any of your other leaders? The fact is, the Black community wishes to honour him, he is certainly their most venerated and high profile leader, and as such, deserves a day. What Blacks have contributed to American society is immense, and is to be recognized. The dolt who asked if they would prefer to chase their dinner with a stick might ask himself the same thing – would you prefer to be on the dole in Brixton, or Alabama?
The racism heard on this board is sickening.
I agree. We don`t need another Holiday espcially a Black one!!!!!!
HELL,NO!! M.L.K. does NOT deserve to have his own holiday.`nuff said.
The majority of Americans, now and throughout it’s history, have been firmly convinced that civil rights are derived from irrelevant physical differences. Hence it is quite appropriate to celebrate all leaders, local and foreign, who agree with them…whether that be King, Wallace, Clinton, Washington or Hitler.
Amen, brothers, amen! Unfortunately this year my state,
New Hampshire, led by its nitwit distaff governor, will join
in celebrating the memory of this moral degerate. I, of
course, will continue to quietly celebrate the memory of a
real Christian gentleman, Robert Lee of Virginia, born
January 19.
An excellent Read!!
In a day of extremists on both sides, Martin Luther King, Jr. stood out as a voice of moderation. While others cried out to increase the polarization, Rev. King sought synthesis. While others cried out for violent resolution to the problems of the day, King stood fast — and often in the minority — to bring about change by non-violent means.
As a veteran, I respect the courage with which MLK Jr. faced death and threats of death every day of his career.
In the United States we honor great leaders not because they are perfect, but because they made a difference. That is why we honor Jefferson and Washington as apostles of liberty even though they owned slaves. Like all great leaders, Martin Luther King will continue to be remembered for his courage and his philosophy — not for the human frailties to which all flesh is heir.
What part of the Dream offends you so?
I also have a dream also — a dream that, one day, even the folks at The Outrage will “get it.”
— Tom Sharpe
Chesapeake, VA
A well conceived and articulated piece. Bravo! Wish I would have said it. You are sure to incur the wrath of the PC police. Thanks for having the courage to say what needed to be said with objectivity and fairness.
As a white person who was “laid off’ twice within three years, because the government said there weren’t enough blacks on the job, I say not no, but HELL NO. The man(?) was a communist, a preditor, and a glorfied trouble maker. I refused to allow my children participate in the ‘celebrations’ at school that further glorified this vermin.
no,in all honesty i think federal employees, banks and schools get enough time off already. It’s not that I don’t believe King’s contribution wasn’t important, but how many people who have the day off actually think anything about his contribution during their holiday?
I like what Chris Rock says “You gotta be pretty racist to not want a day off from work” Although it shouldn’t be MLK day, maybe Civil rights day would be more appropriate.
So what, if he was socialist. In US, the land of rugged capitalism, we have Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Welfare, public education, public state collleges/community colleges, public universities, tax breaks for private schools/colleges/universities, FDIC (Remember the bail out of savings and Loans in the 80’s), Federal Reserve (which bails out big banks, Mexico, Long Term Capital Management), Department of Agriculture (welfare of the rich farmers), Department of Defense (welfare for Defense contractors/Lockhhed, Martin Marrieta,Boeing, McDonnell Douglas), etc. If this is not socialism, then I do not know what is Socialism is? Looks like, in USA, we have just stopped thinking, and buy the BS from the media (which is again a big business, and makes money under the guise of First Amendment; it means their first amendment right, and not mine and yours). Like it or not, USA is an advanced socialist country.
I personally feel that Mr King lived a lousy example of a personal life and no one should remember only the last days of so called fame. His total life is what we all need to recall for that is the measure of a person, not simply some “Glory” days in front of a microphone shouting stuff that he did not really live out in life. I feel Mr King was made a hero to satisfy the people of his race. He should never have been put on a pedestal so poorly prepared. His life is filled with actions that are against what he preached. The indians used to call his actions as speaping with a “forked tongue”
What party controlled Congress in MLK’s days? What party controlled the State Legislature? What party benefited from the lack of civil rights? Guess what, they still do! And the slaves still vote for them. Today you can only hear the chains.
I have a dream that we will one day be able to voice criticisms of minorities without encouraging rabid racists to spout their insanity.
I wish people would see this outrage as an invitation to be reasonable and sane rather than an opportunity to spread their bigotry and hate. This is a forum for outrage, not rage.
In general, I agree that we as a nation don’t consider carefully which people to celebrate as symbols of ideals we cherish. The result is that the real heroes get forgotten and the paper heroes we hold up don’t stand up to scrutiny.
Hell yes, give the moral minority his place, We celebrate the genocide of the druids with St. Patrick (de-canonized and all) why not let the man who apparently sigle-handedly caused the rebirth of americas darkest days, where even non-black people could be dampened by prejudice, where people jumped so quick to reclaim thier heritage that they killed thier future. Yes a national holiday at least for as lonfg as we have a nation…
Does Martin Luther King Jr. deserve a national holiday?
NO!
Your “Dream” commentary today was insulting and demeaning. I have been a subscriber to the “Outrage” for several month and I am certain that I am not the only black subscriber to the Outrage. First of all none of America’s heroes (Geo. Washington, Thomas Jefferson, etc.) were without sins, shortcomings and contradictions. However, you seek to set a standard for Dr. King that none of our other American heroes meet. If you are searching for a Jesus Christ, he is at the right hand of God and will not be returning for awhile.
The facts are that whatever Dr. Kings shortcomings. his contributions to this Nation greatly outweighs any of his failings. It is because of people like you that blacks like myself find it difficult to recruit other blacks to the conservative movement.
No this is not a matter of political correctness, it is a matter of a lack of class.
I will be unsubscribing to the outrage.
Noel Khalil
I find very hard to stomach the a communist gets his own holiday all to himself
And they put all of are great leaders into basically one holiday together.
We as a people need to say enough is enough……and take Mr. King’s day off our calendars.
HELL NO he doesn’t deserve one! What about many others who definitely deserve one! The politicans have to give a gig one so they can make themselves sound better. It basically boils down to this. Blacks can do anything they want and if YOU complain then you are a racist. They aught to fell lucky. They all could still be running around with bones in their noses!
MLK was part of a great cause,
but was unworthy in his character
for a holiday in his honor. There
are other more worthy black people
to honor, and then there are many
worthy people from other races
also.
Perhaps we need to discontinue
this holiday, which promotes a
fair amount of race tension, and
stop declaring additional national
holidays.
I agree with those who say that M.L.K. was made a symbol for the sake of race relations. I hate to think of what he would have become had he not been killed. It would have been detrimental.
As usual, you’ve hit the mark on this one. If this country
actually was racially equal, then I think a national holiday would
be in order to celebrate civil rights in general, not just MLK.
But we are far from that. And the current emphasis on “recognizing
your heritage” is just pushing people further apart. This
country was founded as a melting pot. I wish we could be one.
If indeed we are going to celebrate someone’s blackness with a national holiday, why not Booker Taliaferro Washington, or George Wahington Carver? These are both men who have man positive contributions. And of course, in a more modern vein, what about Medger Evers? He gave his life in pursuit of the equality cause, and his murderer still roams the street bragging about killing him. And I daresay, Evers moral certainly exceed King’s, although it would take much to do so.
Yes! I believe whole heartedly that M.L.K and other great humanitarians deserve more recognition than they get. We personally would like to recognize, and have a day of recognition for: Sojourner Truth,Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Margaret Sanger just to name a few. I could certianly go on and on!
I’ll make this brief. I’m a conservative, Republican-voting, white, Christian male.
I say that we honor the man’s achievements despite his personal flaws. Unfortunately, other than Jesus, we don’t have any other example of a flawless leader.
Additionally, racism and discrimination still exist in this country whether you turn a blind eye to it or not.
Suffice it to say that we should live in a country that provides equal opportunity to all (and we aren’t there yet) without supporting those who aren’t willing to contribute to society (welfare abusers do exist).
Pray for this country and do something positive to make difference.
Why is Booker T. Washington famous?
did the blacks get to vote when mlk arrived
Personally, I get the day off with pay. Know what I mean! I get to sleep late, not shave, goof off, just be a loaf. If some people want the holiday under a different name or recognition, fine! Just don’t take a loaf day from me. Also,
consider the fact that in 50 years white americans will probably be a minority, voting on things like what holidays to celebrate might take on quite a different look than what we think of them today. It’s all apart of an evolving america. Evolution
thats possible only because of our constitution, written at a time when the original people of this land were still a majority. Aint it somethin’.
Its an outrage that white America has been censored in giving their own views and stands for their beliefs, while the other races are permitted to say anything they wish.
It’s a further outrage, that so many of white America not only won’t stand up for these principals, they continue to support, what will be, if it’s permitted to continue, the destruction of this great country.
Let’s face reality, what is going on today could and should have been stopped 50 years ago.
White America has become a melting pot of colors, races and in many cases undesirables.
Martin Luther King was only the beginning.
There will be many more like him as White America becomes the minority.
We have lost the war and believe me, before it’s all over, we will come to realize that we would have been better off with a war.
In one of Ursula K LeGuin’s novels the “race problem” was solved by an Effective Dreamer: he dreamed everyone was gray. So were all the buildings and clothes. Sounded like a practical solution. Perversely, people started wishing for variety.
I wonder if Martin Luther King had a more ambitious plan to carry out than promoting equal rights for people. At the risk of sounding bigoted, perhaps it was in the grand scheme of things that Rev. King be struck down at the apex of his career: even the Roman Catholic Church recognizes that in that moment he achieved martyrdom.
It seems to me that the have-nots in any situation generally are not satisfied in having equal rights. They want it all. I’m a semi-have, myself, and grew up in a city in which the “minority” (hispanic) comprised 80% of the population. Try being taught that if you work real hard you can go to college and make something of yourself–only to find out that your parents make too much money to qualify for financial aid (but to send you to college they would have to spend far beyond their means), and that you don’t qualify for scholarships because you are not a member of a “minority”.
No, if anyone should be given a day, it should be Rosa Parks, who refused to sit in the back of the bus. Or the cleaning lady who by doing without and saving like crazy gave close to a quarter million dollars to her favorite college.
I have suspected for some time that Martin Luther King was given a day because government employees, bankers, and the post office wanted another holiday.
As for equal time for incomparable heroes, what should we do? Strike off ALL days? Personally, when I look on the calendar and find that it’s Bosses Day or Secretaries Day, I feel a little ill. I have never researched to find if it’s true (afraid to, really), but I suspect that every single day of the year is taken to honor something of other. When you go around honoring everything, your sense of values diminishes.
I liked the dream you presented. No King does not deserve a hoilday, I dont think he ranks with Washington or Columbus.
Having recently returned to the US after spending 14 enlightening months in the UK I find myself scared sh—less to see what our wonderful country is heading towards.
Britains “never never shall be slaves”. BS. They are , and seem to object on being told about the fact that they are.
The efforts I see our so called leaders expend in pulling the wool over the eyes of our complacent gutless citizens will bear fruit in a few years.
Then you too can look forward to a tax to watch TV , never complain ‘cos if you do you will be ridiculed, or if it is to a service company , just ignored as you will just have to drop it because the guy who does that bit is off-is sick today – is busy. is only a spoke in the wheel and cant help. blah blah blah.
In Scotland I was asked a hundred times”what about Braveheart”, on replying that thst was a few hundred years ago and what’cha been doing lately was told that they were about to get their own Par”lament” well theres a step for mankind. They export whisky and pay the employeees minimum wage yet the distilleries are owned by the people who would sooner die that have their kids at the same school as yours and yet the consumsion of the stuff is on the competative level. (but then one does need a bit of unreality to survive there).
I guess my point is , “we need a mass revolution” here ‘cos if we keep on ignoring that bunch of loonies in the white house we will all be same same as the brits with yesteryear as the only lament while drowning our sorrows.
Not only do I think he doesn’t deserve one know, I never saw the facination with him in the first place. What’s next Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton days? How ’bout the murderer that started Kwaanza? Shoot give everybody a freakin’ day, and give me one, too!
Nah, why should he be used for just another day off. After all,
that’s what sick days are for.
He deserves a holiday just like Lenin, Marx and Engels!
Martin luther kinjg does not deserve to even be remembered much less have a holiday.
I can’t believe that the only thing you could find to bitch about is Martin Luther King Jr. day. Whether he deserves a National Holiday is not anywhere near the point…The point is, he is a man who put his life on the line for what he belived in. He spoke out about racism and harmony and the state of a nation divided in a time when it was unheard of. So, who cares if people get a day off to sleep in b/c he was a revalutionary? You should care what he stood for. That’s why there is a holiday in the first place!
I agree with The Outrage.
Obviously, the moderator has never felt the horrendously powerful force of a fire hose water stream directed onto his /her person, simply because he or she was lawfully demonstrating to be allowed the same rights as others who lacked pigmentation. Obviously, the moderator has never been a frail 130 lb 15 year old person of color who was chased by a group of Caucasian men on foot and in cars, hurling bricks and vicious hate-filled racist slurs at him or her simply because he or she was walking home through a Caucasian neighborhood in the 60’s. How about being denied lawful access to hotels, restuarants, schools, housing? Need I go on? I can (and I’m not even going to bring up that situation with the Natives of this continent). Remember them? Its a good thing the “noble” slave owning Americans and their adult offspring saw fit to make us all (black and white) safe from them. Those savages!! How dare they fight and struggle to survive in the face of the conquering United States Government and its settlers! But, back to the point…. I’m sure the moderator gets the picture. All I can say is that I forgive you for your “Outrage” e-mail regarding King. (May I at least use the term, “Mr.” as a title since “Reverend” or “Doctor” seems to cause an uncomfortable reaction on your part?). Unfortunately, your lack of understanding of what being black in the United States is all about gave rise to you to write the article. You simply don’t have the luxury of being black and viewing things from that perspective. Please take the following advice as constructive criticism. Try thinking from the opposite perspective before you try to write. It may possibly make you think more in depth before you expound your views and reveal your lack of thorough reseasrch and thought.If you remember or consider nothing else regarding Dr. King, please know this…. The bottom line is that “Mr.” King was above all, human. He possessed the same wants, desires, frailties, and imperfections as exists in most people in this “Western
culture”. However, he also possesed the desire to directly confront the shameful paradox that this country and its “leaders?” were too apathetic or greedy or stupidly hate-filled to address. Did Washington, Jefferson or any of those other slave owning founding fathers do this? Funny, I can’t seem to find anything in the history books that shows they took any positive action in this regard. I assure you had it not been for Reverend Dr. King, I seriously doubt that this country you now live in in improved racial harmony would exist as you now know it today. Do you really think the sick, vile status quo from the past would survive and be continually accepted without even a whimper from those that were wronged? Had it not been for his insistence on peacful, non-violent protest, the “OUTRAGED” American citizens of color would have taken “Whatever Means Necessary” to change it. That would in all likelyhood would have been uglier, deadlier and more destructive than the effects of any day set aside to honor a man whom you obviously feel doesn’t deserve recognition. Hey!! Wake up and realize that this country was saved by Dr. King. Have a little class and show some gratitude. Get educated. Sit and talk with a black person who has experienced the downside of reality in America!! I’d be happy to help!! I can accept a person’s criticism of black cultural icons without callin the racists. However, if such criticism is rooted in ignorance, shallow thinking, or mis-information, I feel I should do my part to point out the fallacies of the premise(s) which led to the criticism. Wouldn’t you!!????!!
The only decent thing Martin Luther King did was choke on the bullet that went into his neck. Other than that he was a womanizer and a communist. He has been recorded numerious times as raping white women once even noted (during the rape)as saying “I ain’t no negro tonight!” yes he definetly was a great public speaker. I say we should have a holiday celebrating his death.
-D
Frankly, I find the hate and ignorance and racism on this board to be sickening. How can anyone educated sit here and spout off that MLK jr made no valuable contributions to our society? Were you people living on another planet during this era? This day is not just about MLK jr the person, it is about his dreams, the dreams so many share…that this country will one day NOT be divided by hate and ignorance, that we can live together in comfort and health…without fear of violence or crime. The opinions expressed on this board just go to show that unfortunately for the rest of us, many people in this country are still much to ignorant and scared to accomplish this. I pity all of you…who are you to judge? Are you perfect? I pray that one day I will have as much positive impact in my entire life, as he had in one year of his. I can assure you that none of you will.
All to often the biggest stumbling block to this world becoming what it should be is mindless hate. For all you nuts who read today’s ridiculously stupid article and submitted the “coon” and other racist comments I extend my sincerest sympathies to all your offspring who will be the unfortunate beneficiaries of the lousy unproductive hate filled world you continue to try to preserve. As you President it saddens me deeply. Every time you nuts let hate rear its stupidly ignorant ugly head you put a nail in the coffin of your children’s chance to live in what could be on a great planet. Intolerance of others because of their ethnicity is totally counter-productive. Instead of hating, try to focus on acceptance of others and working in harmony. Wouldn’t you stupid hate monger rather live in peace than in fear beacuse of cultural differeneces. Since you hate-mongers are obviously too stupid to even realize you are stupid….I forgive you.
signed……
J E S U S T H E J E W
No, he doesn’t deserve a holiday.
We are sick and tired of having this race issue shoved down our throats. You cannot mandate love, it has to be earned. Let’s treat people as we find them.
Gee, here in the south this is Celebrated as Robert E. Lee’s Birthday. Ever wonder how many towns named the street most notorious for crime after Dr. King?
The NAACP stands for the “National Association of the Always Complaining People”. I wish that Blacks would get a life, decide if they want to be Afro or American, get out of my wallet, get a job and make it like the rest of us people do every stinking day without “affirmative action”. And quit complaining! Why don’t the NAACP find anything wrong with unwed Black mothers with 10 children and no job; irresponsible Black Fathers; Black on Black crime or illiteracy? Oh, I forgot—that would mean they would have to take some responsibility for their actions. You can’t blame 10 Black kids to an unwed Black mother on Whitey! Isn’t it funny, King was killed when he had gone to help mediate a labor disput involving garbage workers. Now, to celebrate his holiday, everyone BUT garbage workers is off!
Dear Sirs:
Isn’t it insightful that those who disagree with your assessment of MLK are usually those doing the name calling? “Dr.” King perhaps was sincere in his pursuit of “equality.” Sincerity is a much overrated virtue. Equality enforced by government is tyranny. No matter how sincere and altruistic “Dr.” King was he was at the core a statist willing to use the force of government against people’s lives, liberties, and properties. His heart may have been good but his actions were destructive. He was another product of the socialist school system clamoring for more socialism. His “holiday” is the epitome of political correctness.
I AGREE with OUTRAGE !! Now I have to go watch the Miss BLACK America pagaent on TV.
Can you imagine what would happen if there was a Miss White America pagaent ??????
There would be mass rioting in the streets, Clinton would CODEMN the white race !!!
I’m really glad to see that I’m not the only one who thinks this “holiday” is a Politically correct sham. HELL NO!!!This absolutely should NOT be a government – recognized holiday. I’m sick and tired of watching the American people have to bow and cater to the every whim of every supposed “minority” group in our once-great country (Great before the concept of liberalism reared it’s ugly head!).
Let’s have Leadership day!
A day thats used to honor people who stood up and said let’s get to work and make a difference and keep our nation strong and it’s people united and free.Let’s have discovery day! a day when we look back at what’s been done for the good and change the thing’s done that were not so good or at least don’t do it agin.It realy ticks me off when I think about someone going to a new land ,killing the people that live there and then saying I claim this land in the name of the King or Queen F the King and Queen Maybe if we had a day to think about what’s been done and what were about to do after all every action has a reaction maybe we would not have the problems that we have now.
The command of the english language displays the intelligence level of the majority of those writing in opposition to MLK Jr. day. The failures of this country will be due to a shabby educational system and hand me down ignorancepassed on by the parents of these cretins. Are you all so ignorant that you’ve never read any books on good old J. Edgars frameup of MLK Jr. as a communist? Why did I ask that? The writing skills of the previous posters preclude the possibility of literary comprehension higher than a bumper sticker. Oh well, y’all have fun with your “Impeach Clinton” window signs and NRA stickers.
I’m ambivalent either way. If I was alive and present when the legislation was introduced I would have said no but now that we have it I couldn’t bear to get rid of it. But hey, at least some of us get an extra 3 day weekend, right?
After reading comments already posted, I would have to
say it’s all there in plain english. No, MLKjr. does not
deserve a day in his Honor. I am sick & tired of being
politicaly correct! We have so many “days” every year
for this or that, when most people view them as days off
from work. So many people do incredible acts of help,
caring and generosity to their fellow man as their career
or in volunteering yet do we have a day to celebrate the
people who help the mentally retarted?
The black parasitic establishment has recently taken to criticizing one of my personal heroes, Thomas Jefferson. A Christian (or at least a deist and habitual Bible-reader), Jefferson hypocritically committed at least fornication, if not worse. But these imperfections do not diminish his accomplishments, nor do King’s flaws diminish his achievements. You make the same mistake as Jefferson’s detractors, perhaps just as dishonestly.
Comparing King as an individual to one of the first Presidents or all of those fallen in war is misleading. The Unknown Soldier represents all lost soldiers, Washington and Jefferson symbolize the founding of our country and ordainment of our Constitution, and King represents the struggle of a people for their natural rights under that same Constitution. Your “quiet people leading lives of unheralded virtue and real productivity” need a symbol to revere. Mean-spirited cretins need a symbol to desecrate.
Untimely death does not alone make greatness, but it is an innately human tendency to elevate a martyr, especially when a people are in need of a symbol. Without martyrdom, Christ may have vanished into the dustbin of history. I may doubt his divinity, but I don’t spit on his followers or what he symbolizes.
The Revolutionary War brought most blacks nothing, the 4th of July means little to many of them. “Does Martin Luther King Jr. deserve a national holiday?” No. Do black Americans deserve one, to mark their independence nearly two centuries after white Americans achieved theirs? Yes.
Your racism is not seen by a lack of truth in your statements but by the truths that you choose to state. If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. I submit that you are not part of the solution. Some people who are:
<UL>
<LI><a href=”http://www.larryelder.com” target=”_blank”>Larry Elder</a>
<LI><a href=”http://www.gmu.edu/departments
/economics/wew/” target=”_blank”>Walter E. Williams</a>
<LI><a href=”http://www.hamblin.com” target=”_blank”>Ken Hamblin</a>
<LI><a href=”http://www.tsowell.com” target=”_blank”>Thomas Sowell</a>
<LI><a href=”http://www.theonion.com/onion3543/
anti_racism.html” target=”_blank”>The Onion</a>
</UL>
Martin Luther King Jr. is being shoved down the young American’s throat as a hero, he was a trouble maker. His follower’s started roits which hurt and killed innocent people.
The blacks today still act as if the whites “owe” them. The white man did not start slavery, the black man did by capturing his enemies and selling them.
Today’s black man says he wants to be treated better, he needs to start acting better. No matter what they are given by the government they do not appreciate it, they destroy the housing they have, they sell their food stamps for drug money. They attitude is “gimme, gimme.”
Our children must attend school with people that are not clean, act vulgar, accept teenage pregnancy, and do not use the english language properly.
I have seen black girls in jr high school that were pregnant, it was not hidden because the black attitude is have a baby, get a check.
I have worked beside black women who I didn’t see as different then myself, they were hard workers, they tried to teach their children right from wrong, but what good does it do them when our government doesn’t back them up.
My husband has worked with blacks who put in all the hours the employer asked. He has also worked with one black woman who kept having babies because she was planning to quit a good paying job as soon as the 6th one was born because she could sit home and get a bigger check from the state than she could make on 40 hrs. She was to lazy to put in a little over time.She was not liked by the blacks that she worked with because she was “after her welfare check” the check that hard working decent people were having to give her.
I stand in line to get a prescription filled and am angered by the people who are paying $1.00 to $3.00 for a prescription that would cost me $20.00 or more for.
It has to stop somewhere. The black churches teach not religion but how to beat the system, Not love thy neighbor, but boycot this or that business because they don’t have an all black employee ratio. Boycot a state because of a flag they fly, a flag that the founding fathers of said state fought and died for.
I have seen many injustices to both black and white but mostly white. When will the blacks in this country open their eyes and see how good they have it. If they don’t like the way things are here, then go back to Africa. I would not miss the ones that think we are wrong, the ones that I know from work would stay here and keep on working. They are the ones America needs, but they make up a very small portion of the population of this country.
Why does one man’s dream become all men’s nightmare?
Why not give a holiday to someone more deserving of recognition like Booker T. Washington? He valued education. He wanted racial integration. He believed in actually doing work to earn money. Sure he wasn’t perfect but he lead a lot cleaner life than most of the other black leaders past and present.
somone great once said; : we will only all be equal when we take the “african” out of “african american” and then ppl will be equal. i disagree, i think that we will only all be equal when there is no “american” or “canadian” ect. only when we are one ppl.
NO–I do not believe we should dedicate a day to Martin Luther King Jr. I am totally against it and personally do not take the holiday!
This is a test. Sorry for the intrusion.
I think that you are verging on spam when you make such critical comments to poeple in history that made incredible strides for man and woman kind.
Martin and others stood up and took that bullet for all the little poeple that don’t have a voice.The more days that stop the market from trading (within reason)should be celebrated.
And let us never forget what cicil injustice feels like, what amazing strength it takes to change the powers that be.
long live the saints.
MLK Day is not about race. It’s not about communism or socialism. It’s about having the courage to stand up for one’s principals, and make it possible for an opressed people in America, the “home of the free” to do just that: live free. Perhaps you do not agree with his methods, or the fame he has had since his death. Maybe you don’t even agree with the idea of giving blacks their liberty in America. But the one thing that holds true for every American, if not human being: we cherish liberty. That is what MLK day is about. Fighting for one’s beliefs, fighting for liberty, fighting for justice and fighting to make America mean what Jefferson and Washington said it did, a place where all men and women are created equal.
this is a bunch of bull.
King’s contributions toward
manifestion of the true meaning of equality
in the constitution deserves a friggin day.
if there was no one to speak out against the
oppression against the minority, they (blacks)
would still be considered 2/5 a man.
God sure as hell knows that this country wouldn’t have
changed any of their views toward minorities unless
someone stood up and made some noise.
Martin Luther King was nothing more than a self appointed religious (?) leader and had very few morals.
Honky Boy,
I COULD NOT believe your post!! This is the EXACT example I have been using for a LONG time. . .the one about the Miss Black America Pageant! You couldn’t be more right. If someone started a Miss White America Pageant, Jesse Jackson and his racist bussed in “friends” would be rioting in the streets.
I am SO sick of the racists who scream RACISM. Is there only racism against blacks? The racism I see DAILY is predominately against whites. Can you see a National Association for the Advancement of WHITE people? Would the leader, David Duke, be held up for the world by the media as a SAVIOR and a white leader as JJ is for his contingent? The answer is NO. He is slapped back and put in his place, just as he SHOULD be – and just as JJ SHOULD be, but unfortunately, is not.
No!! Martin Luther King does not need a special day.
It is about time we celebrate someone with moral fiber and who has lead a Christian life.
Martin Luther King did great things for the advancement of the black community, and like it or not, black people represent a large portion of our society. Do they have the right to have a holiday even though they dont make up 51% of the population. yes. Would white people like it if in 20 years blacks comprised 51% of the population and took away all holidays for white heros. hell no. It therefore must be concluded that if black people want a holiday. They have the right to one, and they should be able to choose whoever they want. Will that holiday help stop racism. hell no. Racism has existed since the beggining of time. Do you people really think you can change the nature of mankind with a holiday, or legislation. Get real. People having been fighting and killing each other because of color, ethnicity and religion forever. Live with it. The world is not going to become a peaceful place anytime soon. It doesnt matter what laws are passed.
I believe that Martin Luther King, Jr. deserves to be officially
remembered for his achievements in the advancement of all
people; not just one race.
All of the derogatory comments made in the previous letters
(withthe exception of the ignorant racist comments)
can probably be applied to all of the people we regard as
heroes. They only prove that, above all else, they are human.
A hero is not a hero all of the time. It takes one moment to
perform the right action at the right time.
Rev.King helped to bring attention to some of the inequalities in our country, but much remains for both sides to do. On application forms the one blank that should be left out is “Nationality” the only way to fill it in is “American” if you were born here. Please ppl learn to respect all people and maybe wewill learn. Remember, if you want to stay with nationalities, very few of us would remain here if We would “Go Back Where WE Came From”. (And europe would be damn crowded). If only all were color blind Dear God
I am not a US citizen, norhave i ever even been to the US.
MAybe you think this makes me unqualified for comment,
i believe it makes me more qulified than many Americans.
History as i know it – and I could quite easily be wrong – is that
the black people in the southern states were suffering oppression
by the white majority. Martin Luther king, among others,
campaigned for change, to give black people a fairer deal.
I see no reason this man should not have a public holiday in his honour.
If ppl are unhappy with that when the presidents and war veterans all have to
share the same day, remember htere are only 365 days in a year.
the comments i have been reading about “black ppl ” are particularly offensive to me, a white person.
Have the writers of these comments met enough of the black population to judge? Are they saying there are
no white people who share the attitudes which they attribute to blacks?
Black ppl deserve the freedom to equal white people and any other person.
America, which flaunts itself as the country where everyone is free, equal
should adjust its attitude.
I’m tired,tired,tired,of all the “whatever-americans”. maybe I’m a Euro-american to some’s thinking…but ,if we have to be XXX-americans,how ’bout: “yer-‘ole-Americans” ( is that on the endangered list?).
Outrage is right! MLK certainly DOES NOT DESERVE
A HOLLIDAY IN HIS NAME ONLY. It is celibrated in my
hometown a Robert E. Lee Day. All peoples have been
slaves and looked down on during certain periods of
history. Patrick Henry said: “Give me Liberty or give me
Death. ” And he meant it. People of all ethnic backgrounds
“Divide and Conquer,” is still the motto of our modern
tyrants. Someday we may all be equal as to our rights
and even get along together if we refuse to be divided by
such political correctness as we are being fed today.
forgotten the price of Liberty.
You are correct! Setting aside a holiday should be special, not just for being murdered; otherwise JFKwould have a day to honor him.
Personally, I don’t think ANY single person should have their
own national holiday. (Religious holiday, sure, especially
since Jesus and Mohammed were “single persons,” but not
a holiday the government celebrates.) Once you start
choosing people as heroes, where does it stop? How does
one decide that one man’s contribution was greater than
another’s?
If I had to pick someone to get a holiday, though, it’d probably
be Dr. King anyway, simply because his words have inspired
so many to be better people. Just about everybody can
agree that Dr. King was somebody to be admired. I would
have preferred a more general Civil Rights Day, though,
since it wouldn’t keep stirring up this “who is worthy?”
garbage year after year after year.
The only problem with generic holidays is that people tend
to forget what they’re about. I’ve never known anyone who
wasn’t a veteran who saw Veteran’s Day as anything but
another day off, and most people don’t connect Labor Day
with unionism at all.
Ultimately, though, it doesn’t matter what the holiday’s about,
because people won’t care. They’ll just see it as another day
off. So why even bother arguing about it?
I notice most of the people who responded negatively have some serious spelling and grammatical errors going on, thus speaking to their ignorance. On that note, I’ll address the more intelligent folks who posted: MLK deserves a holiday simply because he stood up for my people and did so in a non-violent fashion. How many people (dead or alive) do any of you know who would have, in the face of what he and others had to deal with, could boast such a fact? MLK fought for and won a plethora of rights for Blacks. If not for him, we’d still be shining the shoes of and wet nursing the babies of some of the red-neck, Moonshine-swilling, pickup truck driving, scr@#$ng-their-own-cousins, moose head hanging racists who had the nerve to post their BS in this forum. Mind you, many did not have the nerve to sign their names to what they had to say – in my mind that makes you all a bunch of dog-smelling cowards.
Why assuage the collective cultural angst of self-convicted “successful” people by deifying a common plagarist who had to be “talked into” being the front man?
So that there is never any doubt as to this, I’m going to say
right off: I’m white and I’m Christian. That being said, I am
truly ashamed when I think that some of the comments I read
came out of the minds and hearts of people who make up
this country. MLK not deserve a day? Never! Dr. King (and
yes, I will call him Dr, thank you) created in the United States
a possibility of equality for an entire race of people.
I say a possibility because even now, that equality is far from
being realized. Those who have ranted about Affirmative
Action and just who is a minority, have you ever, in your lives
been tormented by someone solely for the color of your skin?
Have you ever had people look at you with fear in their eyes,
not because of something you had done, but because of the
way you appeared? No, you couldn’t have, and neither
have I. Because of that neither you nor I can ever, EVER,
have any understanding of what Dr. King made steps
towards changing.
Minority? Whether there is one African American to every
one caucasian, or 50, is irrelevant. I lived in South Africa for
five years as a teenager, and was blessed enough to be
there when the first open elections were held in 1994. South
Africa was 75% blacks, and they were still subjugated,
harrassed, and tormented. In the boarding school I attended,
our boarding house mother’s boyfriend once locked the
maids in the kitchen when he was leaving because he didn’t
want them to be alone in the house. Do any of you ranters
have any idea how dehumanizing such treatment can be?
One of the maids, a wonderful, 60 year-old woman was
actually in tears on the first election day. You see, it was the
first time in her life that she was allowed to vote.
That is how it was in the United States when Dr. King came
forth. And had he not, and had not others like him, things
might be no different today.
And as for wanting a day for someone “with more Christian
values” I suppose it has escaped your attention that
Christianity is not, nor should it be, the only religion in the
country. Most work places already give Christmas off, and
mine gives off Good Friday, but you rarely see any days off
Yom Kippur, Ramadan, Diwali. Not bad for a country that
was supposed to be based on religious equality, huh?
Denise, just because people make a few spelling errors and may be ignorant of mechanics of the English language does not mean that they have no valid argument or any intelligence. I see way too many tight-@sses insult people on the internet just because they misspell a word or press the wrong key. Also, MLK fought against racism as you know, but your stereotypical comments about the South show that our country still has a long way to go before sectional walls are broken down.
And now for the topic: Dr. King was a revolutionary man who stood up for the rights of his people and gave his life so others could live better. In my opinion, he is a man to be respected and honored by all, much like other humanitarians such as Ghandi or Mother Teresa. But the debate here is whether or not we should have a holiday in his name. As someone else pointed out, individual people should not be given holidays because it is ridiculous to choose who gets a holiday and who doesn’t. MLK B-day is just another one of the US Government’s ways of appeasing the black population and attempting to make up for the past, which is something that the country should just forget. We need to move on with positive inter-racial relations, not remember the past when we had none.
If King had said “the fastest way to get your self up in this world is to get up off your @ss” he would have done the Blacks and everyone else in this country a bigger favor than complaining about the treatment of minorities.
The world is round and doesn’t revolve around the sun.
Nor does it revolve white america. Step into the 21st century.
I recently was able to witness a rally demanding that the Confederate flag be removed from my states capital building. While i care if it stays there or is moved to a civil war memorial, i was suprised to see the turnout of this event. I have lived in this state for nearly 10 years and until that day i had no idea that people thought that it “supported racism” as some of these marchers were to tell me that monday. i spent some time later that day asking people what they thought the flag stood for and found that most of them believed that it was a historical monument.
i know i already posted once, but dam! this has to be said, so here goes: i think instead of telling the minorities to get off thier @ss, MLK taught by example. He didn’t sit on his @ss. He was out and about. I think a day honouring MLK is indeed a very good idea, but when we go as far as to have a “black miss america pagent” we are going a little bit over board. Had there been a “white
christian mrs america pagent” ppl all over would have flipped. So, in conclusion, let us give credit where credit is due, but not overd o it.
thanks for your time
As far as all this is concerned Dr. King deserves his day.. He did do a lot and it was not just for Black people but everyone..I am white..But as far as this person only speaking to the intelligent people because they can type the correct way has some prejudice to work out. Did it ever occur to you that it may be a type error?? Or the fact that this person may or may not have a learning disability???? My own daughter does . If you spoke with her she is intelligent….Lighten up!!!1
Just sounds like a whole lot of silly racist people to me. It’s a shame that we “HAVE TO” have a black Miss (Not Mrs., Gwen) America pageant. Just as it’s a shame that we “had to” have affirmative action. But if you were slightly educated, you would be aware that many of these events, groups and programs were founded because there was no place for African Americans to belong. And if you clown MLK, Jr., that’s redneck alert. Give me break.
i think that all you people should watch american history x. personally, i am not racist, i have a lot of black friends, mexican friends, white friends. but i do believe that a considerable amount of all of these races need to go out and work for a living just like the rest of society does. i also think that there should be no affirmative action, thats being hypocritical in itself! and there shouldnt be welfare either. i know i sound stupid but thats because im too lazy to sit here and actually type all the things that i really think, so if you care to hear my thoughts on this, you can email me, because i may have something about the situation. until then, if you cant say anything nice, tell me and ill say it for you.
A holiday?…i dont think there should be any holiday for MLk..or anything else…except religous holidays..personally MLK did nothing for me or any other white person..and i dont feel like i owe the black community
anything other than to be treated like i would want to be treated ..lets face it..our ancestors not only screwed the blacks around..they also screwed futuregenerations of whites..as we have to listen to the continual whining out of the black community for things that are in the past…deal with the present ..injustice and discrimination should not be tolerated at any level …and altho my views in this letter may seem contradictory to some..i will be the first person to stand up to injustice for any person regardless of color…there just is no place for it…
Here is the main concern: MLK has a holiday to HIMSELF, but we must honor George Washington and Abraham Lincoln on the same day that we *ahem*… honor…Bill Clinton.
Something is seriously wrong with that. This country is in EXISTENCE because of GW. If anyone thinks that GW shouldn’t have his own holiday, in deference to MLK, I would really like to know why
But then again, maybe GW and AL don’t really *deserve* it. Gimme a break.
I thought it made sense. I also think that you people need to calm down, relax .
It’s funny how people in america act tward this topic. If groups were assembled that were identical to black groups(non violent groupS) then that group would be considered a hate group. If I threw a Miss White America pagent then I would feel the rath of the Black community because i was racist. The Black race wants equal rights then they should stop creating “Black” titled events.
“YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO TO THE MOUNTAINTOP FOR GREAT SAVINGS ON NAME-BRAND TIRES!!!”
I saw an ad using that very copy in the papers the weekend before MLK Day.
God bless America; we have the capacity to cheesify anything.
Anyway, while we’re on the topic of holidays and who/what deserves one, here’s my thought: Unless we’re willing to take “holiday” time for true reflection on who or what’s being honored, it shouldn’t be a holiday in the first place. In other words, all businesses should close just as they generally do on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
That raises the bar pretty high for who gets honors and who gets the heave-ho.
Under my standards, these holidays go bye-bye: New Year’s Day, MLK Day, Presidents Day, Labor Day, and Columbus Day.
Election Day becomes a holiday, and gets moved to April 15.
Thanksgiving gets moved to the last Saturday in November.
Any business who wishes to open on Memorial Day may do so — if and only if their employees and management spend one other day that year maintaining a veterans’ graveyard.
Gotta say this has enlightened me…In fact it actually swayed me in the direction I didnt think I would go. I don’t think it’s right to celebrate this mans day when there have been many before him, and more deserving,that haven’t been recognized at all. Just another way for a politician to get a vote.My ancestors suffered as much if not more and they still aren’t recognized. But yet you call them Native Americans..enough said !
Did you know Martin Luther King’s real name was Michael. He never had his name legally changed. There’s pictures and witnesses that state he was in his motel room with three white prostitutes the night before he was killed. Ironic isn’t it? And he held the title “Reverend”. Yes, let’s by all means honor him with his own day. Let’s also give the Grand Dragon of the KKK his own holiday because he’s a white activist. Ooops, that would upset the black community wouldn’t it? Did I say black? I mean African Americans, even though they have never been to Africa. If they don’t like being called coloreds or negros then why do they have the United Negro College Foundation and the National Allience of American Colored People? I don’t think they know whether they are coming or going. I still don’t understand either why the President’s get a generic holiday but a Racist Leader gets his own day. Makes no sense to me and half of America I’m sure.
Instead of sitting around saying, “If we threw a White Miss America pagent, people would call it racist and flip out,” let’s find out if that would happen. Maybe no one would really care! Let’s try and have some WHITE events, like the White Miss America Pagent, or an Average White Guy Parade. Or, maybe we can lobby for White Heritage Month! Who is with me? I live in So Cal, if anyone wants to get with me on this, write.
In reference to what Anne said. I don’t doubt that the African Americans have had a tough go, but I am quite honestly getting tired of being constantly reminded about how badly they were treated by people who lived many years before I was born and weren’t even related to me! We talk about how badly the African Americans are/were treated here, but from what you tell us about the situation in Africa, they were treated even worse in their native country. And still are treated far worse, for goodness sakes!
As for the Christian holiday of Christmas, think about it. This country wasn’t founded by Muslims, or Jews, etc. It was founded by Christians seeking religious freedom. So why not have a special holiday for the Christians who made it possible for ALL other religions to enjoy the same freedom. If I lived in Jerusalem I certainly wouldn’t ask the Jewish residents not to celebrate Yom Kippur because I am not Jewish. I’d celebrate with them!!
Why does all of this have to be so hard? Let’s indeed move into the 21st Century by forgetting the evil that WE didn’t commit and commit ouselves not to do the same. Equality has to be the same for EVERYONE or it ceases to be equality.
I don’t see a reason to “celebrate” all of the politically correct
holidays or any other secular and/or statist holiday. My parents and
are and my grandparents were hard working virtuous people and honoring them
with a life of virtue is enough for me.
hmm….apartment for sell on 6th avenue…oh, nice paragraph…but umm, needs more pictures…u see, i am red tard ed.
If your kid or someone you care was getting beat-up the majority of time he goes out to play with the other kids, what would you do? Remember, your child was promised equal access to the playground and has as much right to it as anyone else. Would you take “AFFIRMATIVE ACTION” such as seeking legal protection so that he or she could have access purportional to his population and economic contribution? African-Americans helped build this country. Not just as unwilling slaves, but as scientists, teachers, inventors, reformists, legislators and Ministers. Many caucasian Americans are in total, clinical denial about ongoing discriminatory trends in our country. “I wasn’t there!” has become synonymous with “I shouldn’t care!”. White American rally to rescue forests that other Whites destroy for profit. You fight for animal rights, while others of you kill them for sport and unneeded materials. You produce documentaries and do undercover expose` about racist practices in mainstream corporate America, but producer and directors still suffer from acute and chronic “Blacktrafobia” when it comes to casting and framing (composition of characters for the camera) African-American men between the ages of 12 and 35. The exception is, of course when someone has been shot, suffered a house fire, drug dealers in the neiborhood, etc. (you get the point). Black leading-man characters can’t have a Black leading lady in the classical romantic sense that we’ve all learned to expect from “Hollywood” and TV and beautiful Black woman are always the latent love interest of a white man. More programs and films feature inter-racial intimacy, but it would be nice if America as a whole could see a happy Black couple as “normal”. A quantitative assessment of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s success in raising the moral conscience of America may be a difficult undertaking, but he certainly was substantially instrumental in bringing the attrocities of race-base brutality and apartheid into the plain view of caring White American. In effect helping to pull the sheet of many aspects and manifestations of racial hatred. All American have benefitted in some way from that contribution. Multitudes of White would have been butchered in their homes (many undeservingly) if it hadn’t been for the call to non-violent civil protests. You forget Denmark Vessey, Nat Turner, John Hancock or Mark Essex. Maybe you never knew them. The American Revolution, numerous slave revolts, Native-American “uprising” all started because someone said enough is enough. So how about a simple thank you to people like Dr. King and cut the crap.
dr king did alot of good and i have no problem with a holiday honoring his achivements
but i would just like to say that all of or ancestors at one time
oranuther have been opressed,mine being scot-irish,(thanks you england ) and german
when my grand parents came to this country nobody gave us anything
anything we have we worked for
my parents never finished schoo theyl were working at age 14, to help support there familys dering the depreesion
my father worked to jobs 16 hours a day some times more so we could have what they didnot and we could go to school
we were tought that all people are the same no matter the color of there skin, the differece is in how they act
there is a song called one by creed listen to it
or remember this united we stand devided we fall were all the same
just some taller some shorter some thin some not just treat outhers as you would like to be treated
p.s. sorry for any spelling or grammer mistakes i have dislexia
so cut me some slack be kind to each outher
Right, MLK Day is a sop to the blacks by the same sleazy politicians who use them for everything else.
Thank God for democrats! They will keep the blacks in the ghettos with their politics of victimization!
I’m certainly not a racist, and maybe it’s not that he doesn’t deserve a holiday, but nobody uses the holiday for rememberance, rather its just another excuse for a day off. Another day that I won’t get my mail, another day I’ll have to find someone to watch the kids because school is out….
The acheivements of men and women collectively or individually should be remembered and honored by those that they touched or gave cause to pause and reflect on their own actions or beliefs. If we collectively put together a list of those folks who have had a profound and positive impact on the United States of America since its inception I am sure that the names of 365 deserving individuals could be assembled and and a holiday honoring each of them individually could be declared. In amassing this list each culture, ethnic background, faith and religion would have strong representation and a deserving person or people honored and that would put an end to who is and who is not worthy of inclusion. These people being honored with their own individual holiday would represent every conceivable view and segment of the American people as to who is deserving of being honored with a holiday. I think that by now you can see where this would lead. The individuals being honored with a national holiday did not have this in mind when they took the actions or said the words for which they are being honored. They did so for their beliefs individually or for what they believed was for the betterment of their country. Do not dishonor them by proclaiming holidays to honor every deserving individual and bringing the country to a standstill or neglecting deserving individuals thereby offending segments of the contributing population which make up the country. Honor the accomplishments or supreme sacrifices in your heart and mind. For America to remain the great nation that it is it needs to move forward with purpose and direction. It does not have to satisfy the politically correct factions or the most vocal groups. Honor those you feel deserving in the manner in which you feel most comfortable be they caucasian, or people of color. Honor them for their sacrifices or contributions to the nation, not for their color or heritage. Live and work for today and for the future, honor the past, learn from the past but do not live in the past. America has assembled a great nation and great people do not make it less by name calling and the denigration of deserving people. I write this as a Canadian who may just have a different viewpoint worth thinking about.
What Rev. King stood for and what was done using his name are 2 different things. He stood for equality. No more, no less. Not reverse discrimination, not job quotas, not federal housing programs. His dream was that we should all be judged by the content of our character, not the color of our skin. Yes is that so hard to understand? If we can believe the Bible (as we profess to be Christians) we know that Jesus said that the most important thing that we could do is to “love one another the way the father loves us”. Isn’t the premise the same. But unfortunetly, this world generates a certain amount of predjudice. Over the centuries we have seen people persecuted for no more reason than that they attended the “wrong” church or the “wrong” school. Color of skin has, and will most likely always be a bias point. We MUST learn to overcome our own prejudices and teach our children the same. As a child of the 50’s I saw the blacks moved to the back of the bus, drinking from water fountains labeded “colored only” and having to use the back door at restaurants for food, yet, my parents who were raised before the depression in the middle of the South, taught me that the worth of a person could not be judged by the color of his or her skin or the thickness of their wallets, but by their deeds. We should rejoice that when the time comes for our final judgement that God views not the color of our skin or the balance of our IRA, but by the kindness in our hearts that was expressed towards others. I sincerely hope that this will help someone out there stop and think. If so, there will be one less bit of hatred in this world.
I will celebrate MLK day when Americans celebrate Arminius day. Arminius, who set the stage to free the Germans from centuries of Roman savagery and slavery of the sylvan friendly German people.
In fact I want reparations for this slavery from Italy. Please send my share in black truffles.
Our vets are much more important than Martin Luther King, Jr. Personally, I think that a civil rights day would be much more appropriate if it honored Rosa Parks or the kids in Little Rock.
·Veritas Vos Liberabit * THE FEDERALIST® DIGEST The Conservative e-Journal of Record
Date: 12 January 2001
Federalist #01-02.dgst
http://www.Federalist.com
SECOND OPINION
THE KING LEGACY
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” These are, perhaps, Martin Luther King’s most remembered and most oft quoted words. That notwithstanding, black Americans in the years since Reverend King’s assassination have increasingly abandoned his dream, and aligned themselves with a leftist political and social agenda obsessed with color at the expense of character.
Nowhere in recent history has that alignment been more evident than in the presidential election just past, when fully 93% of the black vote turned out against Republican nominee George W. Bush-a higher percentage than voted against Bob Dole, the elder Bush, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford or Richard Nixon. The only Democrat to receive a higher percentage of black votes than Al Gore was Lyndon Johnson.
A pincer movement has been squeezing minority support for Conservatives, especially among black Americans. On one side, in the last decade, Demo-goguery has abounded in debates about welfare reform, affirmative action and so-called “hate crimes.” Consider the fates of Rodney King and O.J. Simpson. Consider the message of hate preached by Louis Farrakhan. In today’s vernacular of racial reconciliation, the key themes are atonement and financial reparations assessed by a godless bureaucracy. Bill Clinton has capitalized on such themes, enlisting former King lieutenant Jesse Jackson and his minions-Al Sharpton, Kweisi Mfume, Donna Brazile and Maxine Waters — in a coordinated campaign to retain blacks within Democrat ranks.
And, on the other side, Republicans have retreated from anything resembling a principled universal position on rights and responsibilities. As black conservative Ward Connerly put it, “These race professionals reinforce a victim mentality that cripples many of their fellow blacks and preserves reliance on government and the black power structure. In a contest to show who has more compassion, the GOP would be preaching what blacks wanted to hear, not necessarily what they needed to hear to achieve greater individual freedom and opportunity.”
Connerly noted about his experience with George Bush: “He even distanced himself from backers like me to make sure that he didn’t send the ‘wrong message’ to blacks. He spoke at the NAACP’s annual convention and (needlessly) portrayed his party as not always sympathetic to black people. He gave Colin Powell a prime-time spot at the GOP convention to bash us opponents of race preferences. And at the end of the day, what did Bush get? What did he have to show for his investment? Nothing-zero, zilch, nada.”
Martin King always preached that black freedom was, before all else, an individual responsibility-not a government responsibility. His message was grounded in a Christian view of each human person as being of equal worth, as each equally bears the image of God; his message was one of love, moral certitude and individual responsibility-not relativism and victimhood. He wrote in his book “Strength to Love”:
“At the center of the Christian faith is the affirmation that there is a God in the universe who is the ground and essence of all reality. A Being of infinite love and boundless power, God is the creator, sustainer, and conserver of values. … In contrast to the ethical relativism of [totalitarianism], Christianity sets forth a system of absolute moral values and affirms that God has placed within the very structure of this universe certain moral principles that are fixed and immutable.”
He wrote further: “There is so much frustration in the world because we have relied on gods rather than God. We have genuflected before the god of science…. We have worshiped the god of pleasure…. We have bowed before the god of money…. These transitory gods are not able to save us or bring happiness to the human heart. Only God is able. It is faith in him that we must rediscover. With this faith we can transform bleak and desolate valleys into sunlit paths of joy and bring new light into the dark caverns of pessimism.”
Martin Luther King was a controversial man. Though legitimate questions exist about his intellectual and personal integrity, and his relationship with Communist cadres in the 1960s, he was, indeed, a great leader and an inspiring orator. (See links to the text of two of his most prominent essays below.) However great his human flaws- flaws to be judged no more harshly than our own-his message, emphasizing peace and reconciliation, responsibility and character, remains “an idea whose time has come,” as he often quoted Hugo. But it continues to be an idea distorted by those who would use the rhetoric of division as a political stump.
Despite the November voting results, historian Shelby Steele observes, “There is an awful lot of conservative sentiment in black America, but at the moment, the party line is ruthlessly enforced.” Indeed, no dissension is tolerated and black conservatives, such as scholars Steele, Clarence Thomas, Ward Connerly, Thomas Sowell and Walter Williams, are routinely eviscerated by Jackson and his Demo-goguers.
What can change this? Connerly counsels, “When it comes to race in America, leadership requires directly addressing the misconceptions of the flock and the race-baiting of certain shepherds.” And why haven’t leaders done this? Sadly, we can answer that question by going back to Martin King’s most famous statement: because our leaders-and those who have put them in positions of leadership-have such diminished character content that they prefer substituting superficial judgments, like those based on skin color, to avoid a deeper look inward. But we must demand more, both of our leaders and of ourselves, if we are to truly pay honor to King’s life and legacy.
They have a Black music awards. What would happen if we had a White music awards ?.
A very short remark on MLK Day, AD.2002
Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.
George Orwell (1903 – 1950)
good site.
MLK absolutely does NOT deserve a holiday! It is so sad and tragic that so many are misled, ignorant, or downright stupid.
No!!!
I’m not supporting any civil rights holiday when a racist piece of filth has used the Whitehouse bully pulpit for eight long years to pretend that civil rights activism is represented by using the STEREOTYPE of “white privilege” to mandate discrimination against white waiters, white truck drivers and white store clerks in every American business, school and government agency. The only possible motive for this hypocrisy of practicing racial discrimination as the “remedy” for racial discrimination is so that President Stereotype and the racist liberal party could buy the votes of black bigots with black preferencing. Surely this hypocrisy proves once and for all that the only problem any liberal has with racism is when it isn’t personally profitable.
1 more like Jessy Jackson and we’ll all have a week off!
No.
Mr. MKL (Martin Lucifer Koon) should not be honored at all. He plagiarized his doctoral thesis and “Mountain Top” speech.
He was a whoremonger and Communist supported agitator.
Negroes want everything free.
Negroes are inferior. If not, why give them “race credit” for job testing and school admission?? Because they can’t compete on a level playing field with whites.
They are good in sports, but lets be honest – individual exceptions aside – as a group, they are unintelligent and have a criminal nature. It is a FACT that 85% of all serious crime is committed by Negroes, and usually against Negroes.
I am a racist. So are you. Would you want your daughter married to a stinking jive talking rapper calling for murder of police? He11 no.
Blame us whites for everything. We did not run around in the bushes of Africa capturing Negroes – no – we bought them for trinkets or alcohol. If we didn’t, the Negroes (who were already slaves to “superior” Negroes) would have been worked to death and EATEN! U.S. Negroes are the lowest on the evolutionary scale because the strongest survive in nature. Yes, they were weak and would have been EATEN by their superior captors, instead, we saved their lives, gave them food and medicine (like any other of our farm animals). You owe us your lives, Negroes!
We are stupid, however, to pay for your professional breeders of brainless children, pollute our schools with them, and do it all over again when they are old enough to breed.
If you have children in a public school, you pretend that we are all equal, but your children know the difference. Teach them the truth. Grow some balls, and —
Have a nice BLACK DAY.
I do not support a MLK Holiday. I really don’t see where he
was a great man, nor do I belive he was a good role
model for our Black Americans. I believe there are good
role models other than MLK who can inspire our
young black Americans to strive for success.
I have been receiving the Outrage from the time it began, I think. And this is an annual wish list that is very admirable but as you say, impossible while man rules the earth.
But what I chose to come here about is the question as to whether there should be a national holiday for Martin Luther King. I believe so. He fought to put our colors all in the same box, an American box. His speeches ignited the hearts of many to simply not take the prejudice anymore. He stood firm against the easy route of violence to produce change, honoring our forefathers’ efforts to create a country wherein the citizens had a voice. He sought to apply that voice to his own race because caucasians persisted in denying them that voice. For this obstinance and refusal to bow to the status quo he gave his life. Even in that, his voice could not be silenced, and his wish for equality not be quelled.
By the way, I am not of the same color as MLK. Just of the same mind. And none of this is to say that he was perfect. He was not. Neither is any other, most notably at the present time is the exiting President of the United States. Nor is the incoming President elect perfect. MLK was sidetracked by skirts, as was JFK. Many men are. What he sought to accomplish and the price he paid stands above his lowest shortcomings. I wish I could say the same for the outgoing President.
I have a dream that we wouldn’t need dreams like yours, because they would already be realized, but I would be a fool to think any of it could ever happen. We are stuck with those that want something they do not earn and therefore must steal it from others.
MLK day? Sure. But we should be honoring the man who rid our society of this despicable, loudmouth pig.
Not for M. Luther.
But people who give their lives to preserve our nation deserve more than just one dedicated day.
Why is it the Post Office will dedicate a stamp to Daffy Duck and resfuse to make a stamp honoring purple heart medalist?
I can’t believe you guys think that veteran’s day shouldn’t be observed.
Nyet, nein, no, forget about it, Marty L. King — Jr. or otherwise
may have been a great statesman — but does not deserve his
own holiday. . . . .
You obviously have not grasped the concept of affirmative action which is that African Americans cannot be held to the same standards of behavior, logic, performance, etc. as everyone else. Given that premise, of course he deserves a holiday.
We need to keep this before the Public’s mind, it has nothing to do with race but with people trying to “milk”
is for $’s and not in any way
helping their own race, Rev.
is a term used for Instruction
in all that is GOOD, not to rob people of their dignity.
We could always just call it
CIVIL RIGHTS DAY!!!
I don’t think he should have a holiday to celebrate his day due to if you do some research on this man he was about to be busted for what he was preaching against and when he was killed it just made a mortor of this man. So no i don’t think he should be celebrated. I think that the boys that have been killed for this counry whether they are black , white, green, yellow,etc, should be more celebrated than this man.
I feel MLK day should be honored, and that it should honor all great black activists/leaders who had the courage to speak out when it was at it’s MOST Unpopular. To incite the people to not be apathetic to what is going on all around them. To try and peacefully change the status-quo of the rich white “majority” that is really running this country, no matter how we vote. I am more concerned with conservation of our National monuements and state treasures that all of our children will someday inherit. I personally am OUTRAGED by the consistent GREED of many folk in this country. We all know that money is necessary to survive, but I see much destruction in the name of progress. And before you know it, there will be no natural anything, clean water and air must become this century’s highest priority, for us and for THEM. By the way, I am caucasian, female, married and the mother of 4 boys, who have been taught to form their own opinions through education of the FACTS.
MLK day honors ALL Patriotic Blacks, he just happens to be the catalyst of the Black Movement.
MLK day
Yet another example of black people tring to induce white guilt for the past. It’s political correctness gone mad. What next Malcom X month where they persecute a few “white devils”?
I for one say no, and not am afraid to. I guess some of you out there will say, “that’s because he’s a racist”, well, all I can say is “yawn, yawn, yawn….I’ve heard it all before”
MLK day, no. Basically the only reason people want a remembrance day like that is to ease white people’s consciousness’ for their ancestors mistameanours. Well sorry I have nothing to apologis for what my ancestors did, so what, who care, carry on with your lives and stop harping on to the past.
No.
I was born in ’67, I didn’t see MUCH of the CIVIL RIGHTS demonstrations. However, a man is human despite the color of his skin! The ENTIRE US was moved by the actions of MLK & I think its a worthy holiday.
I’ll be hosting live talk shows Sunday and Monday on whether there should be MLK holiday. Please feel free to call in with your comments.
Sunday’s show airs from 8-9am(eastern) on radio stations WBIX-Boston, 1060am; and WSRO-Worcester, 1470am. Also on the internet at http://www.wmex.com.
Monday’s show is from noon-2pm(eastern) on WSRO-Worcester, 1470am; and WJLT-Framingham, 650am. And on the internet at http://www.wsro.com.
The toll-free telephone # is 1-877-711-1060 for the Sunday show. 1-978-567-9900 for Monday’s broadcast.
Brian Higgins,
Host, Brian’s Beat
wee…better to dream in color than in blackand white…
but dont u think u are being a little puritan and chauvinistic?
I look upon that “day of celebration” as I would look upon a child playing with dolls and a tea set. There is a lot of fantasy involved, but as any parent would know, if it appeases the child and keeps him or her quite, why bother about interrupting the fantasy. If this is all it takes for those enlightened black preachers and politicians to have a warm and fuzzy feeling about themselves, why disturb the fantasy. If this is the stirrup which gets them onto their carousel horses, then let them mount and ride in their daydream circles. If they want to be revisionist historians, then let them all join in the circle and feel good about themselves. Just don’t push it in the face of reasonable, reality facing people! These people who are obviously doing more to aggrandise themselves than they are to furthering the ideals of Dr. King are doing an injustice to his memory. They see the “holiday” as just an opportunity to further glorify themselves.
I notice that many write “Dr” mlk; that is not factual. He plagarized his doctoral work and he did not earn the PhD.
I also notice that many, if not most cities- etc, have removed the “Dr” from all signs; properly so.
of corse martin luther king, jr, deserves a holiday. he played a major role in gaining equal rights for a race of opressed people in this country, and he didnt have to curse or use violence to do it. and if you think that its just a holiday for black people, check this out: i am white andi can still admire him for all he did for his country, for the blacks, whites, reds, yellows; for all people.
As a meat-eating, flag-waving, gun-owning, honorably discharged Sergeant [USMC 1966-69], I like and support the idea of the “national minority day” we call MLK day. the reason? A black dude, who twenty years previously would have been allowed at most to drive a truck in the armed forces, saved my lily-white ass in Viet Nam. God Bless all the folks, including MLK Jr, who helped give everyone a more or less equal chance in our great country.
I’d just like to point out that women in this country are and always have been treated much worse than black men. For example black men got the right to vote several decades before women. Even today women only earn about seventy percent of the amount of money earned by their male counter-parts. Why don’t we take a month and celebrate the history of women? Why don’t we talk about the struggles of women? Why don’t we have a day to remember the women (AND MEN) who were arrested for teacher women about birth control methods? I suppose the answer is obvious–men make the decisions. Just remember this men, when you discriminate against me, you say to every other man that it is ok for him to discriminate against your wife, your daughters and your mother.
MLK does nopt deserve a holiday for being black. He deserves a holiday in the same way that every decent, fair-minded person who stands up for justice and real equality does. Can you say “Prop 209 yes, end affirmative action now, abolish all quotas and set-asides”?
Not just “no,” but HELL NO! I first became aware of the Martin Luther King name while living in the barracks at Eielson AFB near Fairbanks, Alaska during the Korean War. One of the Negro (I contest the term “African-American” and have yet to see a genuine black person) Airmen living in the barracks bought all the Negro magazines including a small photo magazine called “Jet.” It was one of the center photo/caption combinations that introduced me to MLK. Jet was a magazine equivalent of scandal tabloid, and carried a photo of MLK being escorted into a Detroit Hospital by his aides (even then) with a screwdriver sticking out of his chest! The caption stated that the tool had been so inserted by a jealous husband who didn’t like MLK injecting salvation into his wife’s anatomy in secret.
The remainder of MLK’s public history is one of priapic cavorting the likes of which haven’t been seen since the days of the Roman orgies. He milked his fellow Negroes by spouting what they wanted to hear, neglected his own family, and used his collected funds to pay for his promiscuous romps in the hay with other men’s wives. I was horrified when our supposed representatives in DC decided they could buy more Negro votes by creating a national Federal Holiday to commemorate the birthday of this charismatic lecher. To tell the truth, I don’t know which is worse; MLK who knew what he was doing and did it despite opposition, or the politicians who compromised their responsibility to their constituants in order to buy votes through canonizing a satyr! They lumped three holidays commemorating our military dead into a single holiday, and they lumped our Presidents’ birthday celebrations into a single “President’s Day” and it leaves me wondering just what they are going to screw up next? Call me when the revolution starts — I don’t want to miss a minute of it!!!
Thanks for a very nicely written letter. I have attended many funerals where I thought this person should have been recognized for their charity and love. I guess americans may never learn most heroes are found right in our back yard. I am not sure MLK would want children out of the classroom on any day. I would like to think he would think all of this attention for him was silly not be just another pompous fool who would bask in the light.
I am sick of hearing about MLK, I am sick of hearing about the plight of the Black Man. It has been a hell of a long time since anyone in this country owned Slaves. I never owned one and I don’t know anyone personnely that did. The Blacks and the white on the outside-Black on the inside, Champions make me sick. Throw the Orieo’s out of office, get rid of the NAACP like the Klan was gotten rid of, throw the Black Caukus out, hire a person by their smarts, not the color of their skin, stop using the Media (all ) to further the Aparthide Cause that is presently going on in this country and you will have done something right. Otherwise, there WILL be a revolution in this country and it will not be peaceful.
For what it is worth, I do not think he ought to have one, but it is a useless question because he does. The fact the the Reverand (Ultra=Liberal) Doctor M.L. King does havee a national holiday just has to be delt with because it is never going to be revoked. Mighht as well get used to it!
Hell NO! He didn’t deserve a National Holiday, but there are even more black leaders that are living that are less deserving and it is likely that we will be presented with the likes of Al Sharpton, Louis Farrakan and Jeese Jackson after their passing as “potential government holidays on the calandar.” Martin Luther King would likely be the more deserving of any other African-American leaders from the past that come to mind. But what makes me bitter about the whole affair, however, is how quickly African-AMericans forget the many sacrifices of Anglo-Americans/European-Americans over “their struggle.” Africans were equally to blame for the slave trade, however, rarely mentioned in history. Interestingly, “White,” Hebrews were slaves to “Black,” Egyptians for 300X longer than the slave expeience in this country. Lastly, I fail to see the difference in the philosophy of Klu Klux Klan and the NAACP. Unless, of course, you look at color.
Gee, if the holiday would serve as a positive thing for generations to come sure. Somehow thats not the real picture I see. Instead, it serves as an opportunity for generations of white people to be manipulated into guilt for what generations before them did. It also seems to serve to promote an attitude that white people today owe balck people today for what happened to black people of yesterday. Prejuidice is alive and well and it is an equal opportunity employer. I am a white Catholic and a single parent and I have seen and experienced reverse discrimination. How hypicratic that one group somehow deserves all the special treatment. Why not focus on the fact that we all have dreams, we all have hopes, setbacks, hardships and have all been victims of prejudices and that we are all the human race that needs to not be so sensitive and unlearn our helplessness. Maybe more peop[le should read “Of Mice and Men.”
I’m 77 yeaars old and therefore remember King’s activities and speeches. He is proclaimed to have been a non-violent activist, but he made incendiary speeches and advocated insurrection to reach his goals. Now the news media shows only his “I have a dream” speech, none of his speeches advocating violence.There is no day honoring the author of our Declaration of independence, but there is a day honoring this spurious reverend. It was done for political means only, and was a terrible mistake.
NO WAY SHOULD HE HAVE A HOLIADAY IF HE CAN WHY CAN;T I HAVE MY OWEN . I WOULD LIKE MINE TO BE THE FIRST OF EVERY MONTH WHEN THAT CHECK COMES FOR THOSE WHO DON’T WORK. AND EVERYDAY IS A HOLIDAY WERES MINE
Great commentary on mlk day!
Keep up the Truth Mission, it will overcome!
Few people are aware that MLK did in fact plagiarize his doctoral thesis. I could not agree with Outrage more. To diefy a person who would steal the work of others and use it as his own is a sad indictment of our national moral character.
Unfortunately, this is an issue which the “mainstream” media has largely ignored.
It is obvious this holiday was created to throw the proverbial bone to a certain special interest group. If it wasn’t so tragic, it would almost be laughable.
To answer your question: Absolutely not.
Martin Luther King is no better than anyone else,only a trouble maker as far as I am concened,like Jessie Jackson.If they want to find the promised land they should go back to Africa and have Martin Luther king Day there!!!Now we will have Uncle tom Colin Powell to be our next black Hero?Worse yet maybe Jessie Jackson,the ultimate racist!
How come we have Black Entertainment Television on Cable TV but no White Entertainment Television,think about that one if you want to talk about racism?There to many blacks on regular TV already in the MTV generation of black gangster rappers braggin about getting rich from selling crack and gangbanging.Martin Luther King was nobody but a scam artist and they should have a holiday for the real hero,the guy who put a bullit in his head!
NO!!! And while I am at it can someone tell me why
we have to kiss the ass of only 13 percent of the
population? As my wife often points out ” if we had known
then what we know now we would have picked our
own cotton”
Thank you very much!! The message I was sent was one of the best things I’ve ever read in my mailbox. I agreed with everything you had to say. Keep up the good work.
Sincerely,
Chris Taylor
You should be thankful that your public holidays have themes that generate such interesting commentary. In Britain they are called things like “May Bank Holiday” or “August Bank Holiday’.
I feel, however, that there is a hidden agenda to this Outrage. You compare King to the Borgia Popes like that is a bad thing – if you’re so worried about things like the ten commandments, why don’t you do the christian thing & FORGIVE him his faults. So what if he plagiarized his thesis – it’s not as though he is remembered for being a Phd or a Reverend anyway!
It is painfully obvious from some of the postings on this board that King’s dream is a long way from being realized. “Gee, us regular white guys have got it so tough with all this affirmative action going on.” Anyone who believes that what went on in the past has nothing to do with them as long as they didn’t actively attend KKK meetings is too stupid to be allowed to vote.
Of course he does! MLK was a civil rights leader. He stirred up the blacks in America to start a Revolution. If not for him the movement may have very well been put down in a few years. Sure he plagiarized some works. So what!? He should be forgiven for that and celbrated for his courage and herowism that he showed when he stood up for his rights. Whites ( which I am ) should be ashamed & embarrassed of their ancestors. If not for this holiday,the Civil Rights Movement may have been forgotten. All men are equal. Black, White, Oriental, Hispanic,and Indians all alike. And MLK made that apparent to us all, stood up for his rights, united Americans, and should be honored for his cause.
Dr. King was a great leader.
So was Robert E.Lee,
Andrew Jackson and Ronald Reagan. Lets celebrate freedon…equally
First I wanted to say that did anyone notice how those who raged back shouting their opinions and obvious ignorance without a name or email address to respond back too? One word…CHICKENS! I think many folk who raged back about MLK day being “unfair” and a “political scam” and also those who screamed “oh poor white me, send the africans back to africa to celebrate THEIR holiday” need to get off their soap box and grow up. I am a white woman and, from what I learned in american history in 4th grade is that America is a FREE country and is open to all who want to live here, not just whites! The bottom line is if you hypocrit ragers have a problem with the way the country is being run, you also have the choice to leave and move to your European society and don’t deal with it. The fact is we all have the right to live in peace and be treated failrly and yes, it doesn’t always happen so SUCK IT UP….I also learned in the 4th grade that life isn’t fair and no one said it would be (this includes unfairness to whites also if you hypocrits missed that!)instead of complaing and “throwing stones”, maybe instead you should be “building houses”!!
I must admit I’m in agreement with the many respondents who felt that there should not be a national holiday for MLK. Here’s why, we should deify someone just because he was charismatic and died young. Furthermore, he was not one of the best role models available, though there were others involved in the civil rights movement who were. Perhaps a national holiday to commemorate the civil rights movement and it’s accomplishments would be a better idea. No one person can take full responsibility, t was a team effort, even if MLK was the one at the forefront it was because of what he inspired others to do. The sad part is that those principles have been completely lost and know MLK Day is an excuse for angry blacks to parade and complain. I say ignore your skin and let me see what your brain and heart have to offer. That should be what we are measured by. Remember, God is colorblind.
I am not a racist. I do not disparage other humans on the basis of their skin color. However, Martin Luther King Jr no more deserves a day set aside in his honor than I do.
thank goodness….someone took the stand about this sore subject……I suppose the same ones for this are also the ones who do not want a man like Ashcroft…….Why cant we stand up for the right things? like God said was right or wrong?????Thank you for being able to have a comment……about the right things….I think it was just fine that the gay people stayed in the closet..
i am a 29 year old female white…mlk deserves a national holiday..anybody that stands up for whats right and just deserves it. i am sick and tired of people saying go back to africa…we should of picked our own cotton..you people are a sorry bunch..everybody came origanally from somewhere else except the native americans and they got screwed too..so all you racist hateful miserable people go back whereever you came from…….the black people and the jews have suffered more than so called white people have ever thoughtof…this is 2001 get with it there is no white people we are all combinations of many things imagine john lennon
There are no such things a civil rights, there are only one kind of rights – individual rights. Only individuals have rights and they are the same, no more or less, for every one since we are all individuals.
I think this business with martin luther king having his own holiday is exactly what’s wrong with the “race” issue. The more one beats the drum, the more people begin to march. In this case, boobs like jesse jackasson and folks of his ilk just light the fire every chance they get. This is where the “raceist” rehetoric comes from. In the case of jesse jackasson, he claims to have been at the scene of the mlk shooting and held mlk’s head as he bled to death. Bunk!!! The man’s a liar! …about that and almost every other thing that’s ever come out of his mouth — which is exactly my point. JJ’s speeches are inflamatory and full of lies and half truths. He’s so stupid he’s pathetic. I can’t imagine any black folk in their right mind even listening to him, he’s an embarrassment to the race.
It’s been my experience that you have to let things go to get better. Some issues are never going to be dealt with to EVERYONE’S satisfaction, in this case you cannot please the majority of the blacks because of this very issue. They have been told they are so poorly treated that it has become culturally ingrained into their lives. Leave it alone. Good, bad or indifferent, this is still the greatest land on the earth, ANYONE can succeed and ANYONE who wishes to can rise above the din and the bovine excretement and make life his oyster.
Repeal mlk day, ignore jesse jackasson and the boobs who march in lockstep with him and we stand a much better chance of healing this “man made” rift in our society.
Long live freedom. Eventually right prevails — if given a chance. I believe in the goodness of mankind and in the devine destiny of our country. We can make it a better place but we have to ignore the looney lefties — and the radical right as well. Extremes just don’t cut it.
I won’t comment on whether or not I believe MLK Jr. deserves a holiday. Fact is, he has one and that’s not likely to change. I will make some random observations. First, you finally seem to have reached your comfort level. A radio talk show should be in your immediate future. Second, about people who have very strong opinions (on either side of any topic) but for whatever set of reasons choose to remain anonymous (cowardice is probably the most plausible reason): they should be ignored outright. Third, as to the grammar and spelling of many of your followers: while it is true that a few very intelligent folks are poor spellers, they are way down at the bottom left of the bell curve, and there are literally no good spellers who are stupid. That is doubly true when it comes to grammar. Finally, is this subject going to be used every year? Is this really the most outrageous thing in your little world? Maybe you need to get out more. If you really look for outrages, you’ll probably find something
better for a subject. If, however, you’re after heat instead of light, you’re
doing just fine. Good luck with your radio show — I’ll bet Rush hears footsteps already.
Of course Martin Luther King deserves a holiday. What is wrong with you people? If it wasn’t for him this country would still be a bunch of segregated hillbillies. Any one who thinks other wise IS a racist because they think that you don’t have to recognize someone who helped stop racism.
of course he deserves a holiday. what the hell is the matter with you? he stands, TO THIS DAY as the conscience of a nation hellbent on blindness and ignorance. He stood for equality for all…ya get that …FOR ALL…and he had the nerve to say that you can’t oppress people and then benefit from that oppression and then live easy lives. Karmically speaking, no one gets away with anything. Who else in the history if this country, has ever represented every single citizen, regardless of ethnicity, gender, and class distinction…please open your minds before you profess to enlighten the rest of us. Or in udda woids, a great teacher is first a great student.
NO WAY! Get real… he deserves a holiday like this country should legalize drugs… wait a minute, maybe he does!
Of course he deserves a holiday, so does Bill Clinton for that matter, any holiday that gets me out of school work or whatever is my kind of holiday and I’ll celebrate it with as much zeal as possible!
yes he does because he was a great leader and everyone loves him
NO. Why the hell does he deserve anything?
MLK can rise from the grave and SLOB MY JOHNSON!!!
No, he most certainly does not deserve a national holiday. Perhaps he deserves a ‘Black holiday.’
Blacks in the US can remember him as furthering their cause, but it marks a black moment in white history because his words were and are taken out of context and are interpretted as advocating white subservience to black minority powermongers. Perhaps?
wasssssssup
Ok, so everybody who does what is “right and just” deserves a holiday… that’d be nice, in a fantasy world. Fact is, we can only really afford to designate holidays for important events, afterall, there are only 365 days in a year. It’s a real shame that people suffer, but that’s life, and life is unfair. Yes, the ‘white man’ “stole” this land from the indians, but what do you expect? That was European culture, and it just happens that they were better at that than the indians were at defending their land. As for the sufferings of the blacks and jews, yeah, it sucks… but life is unfair. Quit whining about the past, and move on to more important things.
Holiday? No. One man deserves one day when millions of servicemen and women have given as much and more and only get one day?
Were blacks mistreated? Yep. So were the native americans, Poles, Irish, women, and so on.
There also a push to have the U.S. Government pay reparations to blacks for being taken from their homes in Africa and the years of slavery and mistreatment they endured. Excuse me!? That was in the past. That happened to their ancestors. We don’t owe any of them a dime now. Otherwise, let’s give the land back to the Indians and pay them for all the suffering they were put through. Let’s pay the Poles and Irish for the injustices done them. Let’s pay the women for their sufferage.
I don’t think it’s going to happen. It’s like someone else said, that’s the way the world was – one people conquering and enslaving other peoples.
Were you the one made to pick cotton? I doubt it.
Get over it, get a life and move on.
Does MLK deserve to be honored personally? No.
Does the civil rights movement itself deserve a holiday honoring ALL those who have sacrificed so that we can live in a more equal nation? Yes. MLK is among the most recognized proponents of the civil rights movement, fine. That doesn’t make him any more important to it than any one person who marched through Mississippi. He was murdered. So were many others who pursued civil rights during the 1960’s. Let’s recognize all of these sacrifices, not just those of one man of questionable moral integrity.
While we’re at it, let’s remember Memorial Day for what it is – a testament to all those who gave their lives in war for this country, for us, so that we can have freedom, however limited.
The only upside to MLK Day is that it falls on my birthday periodically. So, let’s have a Civil Rights Remembrance Day, and keep it about the same time of the year. 🙂
I think a lot of you are ignorant racists that hold a lot of hate inside for some reason. MLK does deserve a holiday. He died pursuing rights for African Americans. Anyone that thinks otherwise are racist idiots.
MLK died fighting for freedom- something he truly believed in. I’m sure that most of the people that objected to “MLK Day” have never known that kind of greatness from themselves. Probably not from anyone they have known personally. He did not live his life perfectly- who of us have? …”cast the first stone.” I do not agree with everything the man did in his life. Nor do I agree with everything I do in my own. But the day given to him is to recognise him for his greatness- which was speaking out fearlessly to a nation of people who were at odds. He wrote a beautiful speech and he should have stood proudly and given that speech exactly the way he did. Look past all the faults. I’m sure someone looks past yours. I know I have people that look past mine. And until you all stand up with conviction and lay it out in front of entire nation, well- I’d say shut the hell up about him not deserving a day.
For a wealth of information on why he should NOT have a holiday, go to
http://www.martinlutherking.org
Sure, but what about Ghandi? Shouldn’t he get a holiday too? Or Mother Theresa? How about Ralph Nadar? Without him there’d be no seat belt laws. So why ISNT there a JFK day? We could all dress up as moon men and go around asking politicians what we can do for the country.
Does MLK deserve a holiday? No. The point that sparked my interest after reading some of the rage backs, was that if you don’t think he should have a day, you’re automatically a raging racist. What ticks me off,(as a white person), is that you can’t dislike or say something bad about someone of another race, or your racist. I DON’T CARE IF YOU’RE FRIGGEN PURPLE! Maybe I just dont like you. And I dont appreciate being accused of being a racist, I mean, what ever happened to freedom of speech? MLK was a major figure in the civil rights movements of the ’60’s…and so were alot of others. He doesn’t deserve a holiday.
I think there is a disparity in this country about racism in general. Its allright for a black comedian to make fun of a white person, and I really dont have a problem with that if its all in good fun. But if a white person was to make remarks similiar, he would be labled a racist. I think we should have a holiday in which we celebrate all of those who have striven for racial equality in this country. MLK was a great man, but he wasnt the only great man.
I for one am sick to death of all the racism from blacks. How is it that they have B.E.T. TELEVISION, THE MISS. BLACK AMERICA PAGENT, EBONY MAGAZINE, THE N.A.A.C.P., and the list goes on and on in these “Black Only” clubs. We as whites are never supposed to even think of maybe W.E.T. Television or what if we had a Miss. White America Pagent,,best yet is Black History Month,,Do you think we could ever dream (speaking of dreams)of a White History Month..I think NOT!..America should be just like any other club..if you want the right to vote then you need to work and pay taxes on our country,,no full time job,,no vote..Then the Politicians would not have to crawl on their belly and promise the world to the minority vote. But lets face it. We as whites do not complain like we should and are not near verbal enough as a race and that is why things have swung so far in the other direction,,I like you, Work, go home, raise my kids, and go to church, and I try not to make public waves,,,and most other whites do the same thing as I.
Shame on me. But this is the corner our system has put all of white America in. God Bless this webb site!!
okay, the 4th of july is one day off, xmas-1 day, arbor day-1, st.patricks day-1
you see what im saying here, christs birthday and groundhog day are both 1 day. it doesnt matter how many days, or who its named after, we’re comemorating an event not a person.
that dude was instrumental in ensuring rights for blacks and other moinorities i cant believe youre even debating this question. the only people who challenge this are inbred, cornfed, chew spittin redneck hicks from dixie alabama or whatever. ask a better question.
sure he deserves a holiday…the monkey is dead and out of my hair
One of our problems is that there aren’t enough days in the year. This gets worse with time. Since we’ve rolled the Presidents into one day, why not have a Traitors and Scoundrels Day, and put the very Unreverend Michael “Martin Luther” King at the top of it, or right under Benedict Arnold and Alger Hiss?
Yes, MLK should have a special holiday. If we required
everyone honored by a holiday to have the character of a
“saint” there would be no holidays. MLK should have a
holiday because he inspires in many Americans the best
of our American ideals. (This obviously isn’t true for the
ranting minority on this web site, but that doesn’t really
matter.) We need icons around which we can coalesce
our best values, and that’s what MLK, due to his
speeches and his courage, represents. If you really care
that he was a womanizer, then it is time for you to grow up
and adopt a more European attitude about such things.
MLK enunciated what we need to know and do, even if
some aspects of his life — like some aspects of everyone’s —
were far from perfect. Get used to MLK Day because it
is here to stay.
a womanizer
It is the epitome of hypocrisy to celebrate a successful civil rights movement, simply because the politically correct bigots du jour are empowering and enriching themselves with an election platform of politically mandated, socially acceptable white discrimination, instead of black discrimination. The REAL civil rights movement is occuring in the forum backgrounds of internet sites such as this, not in MLK tributes and parades. Unfortunately the festering hostility over black preferences, such as that evidenced here, will be ignored by cowardly mainstream politicians and media alike, until it engenders the exact same racial violence caused by white preferences. It’s just a matter of time…certainly the justifiable outrage over the reparations movement will hasten the inevitable moment when institutionalized racism once again torches America’s cities.
***********************
OUTRAGEOUS QUOTE!
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a
nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by
the content of their character.
— Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-68), speech in Washington DC, August 27,
1963
This is not an OUTRAGEOUS QUOTE. I do dream of the day when someone will be judged by
the content of their character and not be given special consideration and treatment because of the color of their skin.
At last someone has the guts to summarize this correctly, whether it be politically correct or not. That’s what has gotton our world into trouble today. Next thing ya know we will be having Osama bin Laden day! or Arab day! Now won’t that be a kick in the teeth! It just infuriorates me to hear about the “human rights advocates” groups who say “we are treating the arabs decently” who are locked up. Well excuse me, did they treat us right by killing thousands of people. It saddens me to know our world is like this. Let the niave work cleaning up the mess of WTC or taking care of the Taliban Alquida and see how they feel having their lives threatened by these horrific men. Have they already forgotton WTC and what about our troops – OUR troops. Hence, the real problem lie with our nation becoming un-american. If they don’t like it here, or us, let them leave. But why should they when they can come into OUR country and turn US around to their way of living. !!!!!~!~!~!~!~!~!
We Have too many holidays in this country..great way for government workers to get lots of days off.
it’s very sad that so many of you are mislead and were not educated as well in grammer school. Many of you need to take your US history course over and take lots of notes on the civil rights movment. I’m not blaming any of you or getting upset by any of your comments but I am OUTRAGED by your ignorance and highly suggest that you take my advice and brush up on your american history.
Holiday??? Hell NO!!! I could kick my yankee ancestors ass for bringing the blacks over here in the first place. If we had only known what the future would bring, I would have picked my own cotton, that’s for sure!!
HOWEVER, blacks in the U.S. have an overwhelming better life than the poor blacks in Africa. If you don’t think so just try to get a black to move BACK!!!
I don’t think that MLK deserves to be raised to a point where he is the equal of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, or any of the brave men and women who died defending the dream of America. He was just one person in a LONG chain of people involved in the civil rights movement, and I feel that singling him out over any of the other people who were a part of it.
No, he does not deserve a national holiday…but if he is granted one, then other ethnic backgrounds should too. Like Cinco de Mayo should be celebrated as an independence day, not just a day to drink tequila and eat nachos and tacos. Veterans that have done more for this country are remembered less and less each passing year. What’s that all about? I agree with the comment about being able to criticize black cultural icons without being labeled a racist…but if that’s the case, I’m proud to be a racist…I’m not white, but give up damn “The MAN has kept us down for too long.” Older blacks have accepted their past. Blacks aren’t the only ones that have ever been enslaved. Mexicans were enslaved by the Indians, the Jewish were too. Remember the Holocaust? Now there’s a group of innocents that suffered! When is National Holocaust Day? Our grand Mr. King forgot to mention that era in his great speech. Was that on purpose? Or was it not mentioned because it did not happen to blacks? Equality my ass!
NO
If we can combine great presidents like Lincoln and
Washington into Presidents day why can’t we do the
for King and other famous black people?
So, if MLK, Jr., doesn’t deserve a holiday, why does Jesus?
Jesus was one individual. Jury is out on whether he really existed or is just a character in a series of parables.
While some of his teachings were of peace and kindness, he also taught hate and vengance.
And the movement he started was responsible for tremendous bloodshed (Crusades, Inquisitions, Witch Hunts, Northern Ireland, etc.) and in the name of domination, not freedom.
MLK was not a perfect man. I don’t think many of our great leaders were perfect people…if there is any such thing. But his teachings were ALL of peace and equality.
I’d rather celebrate the birth of a real, flawed man who taught peace and equality than the birth of a man who may be real, whose teachings were contradictory, and whose movement lead to horrible intolerance, hate, and wars.
And MLK Day does more than just celebrate one man’s birth. It keeps us focused on the fact that we still do not live is a just society and things like rights for people of color (particularly, blacks) and women are something relatively new to this country.
I’m 41 and find it sobering to know that there were former slaves alive during MY lifetime. During my mother’s lifetime (she’s 59), schools in parts of the NORTH were still segregated. My great aunt, who is 90, was alive when women finally got the right to vote. Fair housing laws, preventing housing discrimination, didn’t appear until the 1960s. Nor did laws preventing discrimination in providing credit.
MLK day is really a reminder to all of us that we’ve had to struggle to get where we are (“Those who are ignorant of the past are doomed to repeat it.”) and that we have a long way to go before people, regardless of color, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and social class, have access to the same opportunities to succeed in life.
Your recurring dream, our recurring nightmare, just as banal and uninsightful as the first time, in 2000. How fortuitous: I saved my response! In discussing King, it’s only appropriate that we plagiarize ourselves, and it’s certainly easier than thinking.
——–
The black parasitic establishment has recently taken to criticizing one of my personal heroes, Thomas Jefferson. A Christian (or at least a deist and habitual Bible-reader), Jefferson hypocritically committed at least fornication, if not worse. But these imperfections do not diminish his accomplishments, nor do King’s flaws diminish his achievements. You make the same mistake as Jefferson’s detractors, perhaps just as dishonestly.
Comparing King as an individual to one of the first Presidents or all of those fallen in war is misleading. The Unknown Soldier represents all lost soldiers, Washington and Jefferson symbolize the founding of our country and ordainment of our Constitution, and King represents the struggle of a people for their natural rights under that same Constitution. Your “quiet people leading lives of unheralded virtue and real productivity” need a symbol to revere. Mean-spirited cretins need a symbol to desecrate.
Untimely death does not alone make greatness, but it is an innately human tendency to elevate a martyr, especially when a people are in need of a symbol. Without martyrdom, Christ may have vanished into the dustbin of history. I may doubt his divinity, but I don’t spit on his followers or what he symbolizes.
The Revolutionary War brought most blacks nothing, the 4th of July means little to many of them. “Does Martin Luther King Jr. deserve a national holiday?” No. Do black Americans deserve one, to mark their independence nearly two centuries after white Americans achieved theirs? Yes.
Your racism is not seen by a lack of truth in your statements but by the truths that you choose to state. If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. I submit that you are not part of the solution. Some people who are:
Larry Elder:
http://www.larryelder.com
Walter E. Williams:
http://www.gmu.edu/departments /economics/wew/
Ken Hamblin:
http://www.hamblin.com
Thomas Sowell:
http://www.tsowell.com
Maybe you will tell us just what
a person needs to do to deserve the honor of a holiday?
As a black American, I feel that there is nothing any black could do would merit the honor in some persons’s mind.
Virginia, I am also black–I wonder how many of us there are here? Soundoff! I would indeed be in despair if I thought that this web site were in any way representative of my country, but I know that it is a six-sigma tail end of the bell curve (yes, to the comical White Guy below, that bell curve). Since White Guy brings it up, let me point out to those present who think that blacks are responsible for crime in the US:
1. The US has quite reasonable crime rates in comparison with white Europe:
http://www.economist.com/
printedition /displayStory.cfm?
Story_ID=513031
2. The US prison population nearly doubled under Clinton, with most of the growth due to non-violent drug “crimes”. As for homicide, you can see its dependence on drug prohibition:
http://www.drugwarfacts.org/crime.htm
3. Blacks, being only 12-14% of the population, are not responsible for drug prohibition and the predictable collateral damage of the Drug War. Whites, blame yourselves. Go watch Traffic, or Blow. The US now has the highest per-capita prison population in the world, now at 2 million. WHERE IS YOUR OUTRAGE? WHERE IS YOUR SHAME?
It seems to me that the number of women in this country significantly out number the number of blacks.
Nevertheless, I am not aware of a day set aside to commemorate the efforts of any women who secured the right to vote for their gender.
Of course, women rarely formed gangs to loot and burn square miles of cities…
No!
Should there be a MLK holiday? I suppose it’s a good thing if you’re a white raciest, or a black raciest!
It is used by most whites to remember that blacks need special treatment to live and work in today’s society according to the black leaders! To remember that most black people that live in America today are not loyal to America, because their black leaders tell them they shouldn’t be! They always put Africa over America by calling themselves African-Americans, even though most of them, or their parents or grandparents, have never been to Africa! To remember that most black people vote in blocks the way black leaders tell them to do! To see what the results would be if the dreams of Al and Jessie, of a black government came true, by looking at the governments of Africa!
MLK, I believe, called for equality for everyone, That’s the way it should be! The black people in this country today, are making a mockery out of that! By celebrating MLK Day, people are just bringing attention to what the black leaders today are doing to their own race to make their own wallets a little bigger. These leaders use this day to seek special treatment for blacks, and collect huge bucks from their speeches to the black community, telling them how to vote, how bad they are being treated, and to help create a black nation here in America! It seems that this message is what most black people want to hear on MLK day!
Until every American citizen puts America first, is hired for their ability and not to fill a quota, makes up their own minds about voting, and receives no special treatment because of what they look like, MLK’s dream is a damn nightmare, and this day seems to be a catalyst for more division between the races!!
MLK was just a man. If he desreves a holiday named after him, then so does everyone else
Just wanted to say Martin Luther King Jr. does not deserve
to have a National Hoilday.
I’m disappointed in OUTRAGE. This ‘king’holiday controversy was brought up by you last year. It’s a repeat and to many repeats make for boredom. Just leave it alone, move onto another controversy, like
why should skinny assed United States citizens have to cover for the medical bills created by blubbered bellied United States citizens. Blubber injures, maims and kills. I wouldn’t be suprised if it doesn’t cost americans more money than
cancer from cigerettes does. Try asking about that. Personal I think blubber bellies should be under a different tax system. Fat Tax. For every pound over obesity a person is they should have to pay some percentage more than bonie-assed people do.
I’m hungry,think I’ll go get a cheeze burger.
No.
A womanizer, plagerizer & a Communist sympathizer. No national holiday for this hypocritical charlatan.
You are soooo right about the MLK b.s.. I almost threw up when they made his birthday a holiday and I’m still engraged. Thanks,
MLK deserves a holiday just as much and more so than any of the other black folks I see out there allegedly for the black man(and of course, black woman.) If I had to name one black leader who was truely sincere in his efforts to harmonize relations between black and white America, MLK would be my pick. No need for anyone to become angry about that. There are corrupt folks in public office of all ethnicities, well represented in all facits of church, government, and American life. The fact that black folks, white folks, hispanic folks, asian folks, and all other folks, all seem to embrace corruption, and unfair practices against one another in our world sickens me. Deal with corruption and you can everyone deserves a national holiday. Either way, it will be okay. Be safe. Be happy. Be honest with yourself.
MLK deserves a holiday just as much and more so than any of the other black folks I see out there allegedly for the black man(and of course, black woman.) If I had to name one black leader who was truely sincere in his efforts to harmonize relations between black and white America, MLK would be my pick. No need for anyone to become angry about that. There are corrupt folks in public office of all ethnicities, well represented in all facits of church, government, and American life. The fact that black folks, white folks, hispanic folks, asian folks, and all other folks, all seem to embrace corruption, and unfair practices against one another in our world sickens me. Deal with corruption and you can eliminate much of what you are “really” angry about. Everyone deserves a national holiday. Either way, it will be okay. Be safe. Be happy. Be honest with yourself.
The moral wrongs that Dr. King protested were not my doing, but I keenly feel the loss our nation suffered from years of insisting black citizens live lesser lives. Let’s pray that the MLK holiday commemorates the struggle to free us all from this benighted era, and not just the life of an all-too-mortal, yet brilliant, spokesman for equal dignity and opportunity for Americans.
you had some good thing to say, not too much problem with the martin luther king comments, just one of my own. From talking to blacks in chat, it’s really clear that black kids have no role models except athletes, and the odds are against anyone, black or white becoming a pro, so if all their hope is in that dream, and it doesn’t happen, where’s the reason to live, and live by the rules. And this is for several generations. Think King was a fairly good role model to black kids, jesse and al sharpton are jokes. Urged one lady to start a magazine of non athlete role models for black kids.All i got, jerry
I like the dude, he had the cult of personality. He was also a communist. We don’t have a Ho Chi Minh day. If I was of color I would want Malcolm X Day. X had titanium plated balls that would clack together. Those of you that can, please read his auto biography. Fixity of purpose. If we didn’t wack him, the effeminate white sheep would be busing his tables and mopping his floors. R.A.T.M.
Yes, I too believe that it is an outrage to have a holiday to honor Dr King and then lump all of the president,s birthdays into one holiday. George Washington sacrificed more of himself and his livelihood giving us a free nation for all people than did the philandering Dr King could have ever dreamt of doing. Besides all of this Dr King’s philosophies are not being followed by the people that are supposedly following in his footsteps ie. Jesse Jackson. The largest problem facing the black people of our nation is illegitamte births. I have never heard this issue discussed by a single black leader. Blacks are being kept down by the liberal leaders who keep buying their votes through wealth transferring policies that keep them from bettering themselves through self reliance.
THANKS for the chance to sound off.
I know most of the people saying King doesn’t deserve a holiday are either weak willed or simply enjoy contradicting the modern society, but that doesn’t stop me from being ashamed at the fellow members of our country. I have seen Reverend King called a communist at least 3 times already, and that obthers me. This is the 21st century folks! The commies aren’t poisoning our water supply with flouride, and the Freemasons aren’t taking over the country. So has a day to himself, while Jefferson and Washington are forced to share. What about Columbus day? He died penniless after proving what the majority of the world believed at the time anyway! Yet he has “a day to himself”. You also point out how our “founding fathers” did more for the country than King ever did. Their only gripe with Britain was taxes that the crown had to impose after spending so much defending OUR land in the 7 Years War (
French and Indian war for you non European types). The taxes were legit, and were far less than the taxes our current regime imposed. And they spilt the blood of many an innocent doing it. King preached non-violence, and he practiced what he preached. He managed to set an entire people on the road to liberation without killing, or ordering the killing, of a single man. He should be praised, and if that praise results in a three day weekend, so be it.
January 21 is more commonly known as civil rights day.
I don`t belive in black monday. I belive we should better spend our time planning the next revolution to free us from the coming “new world order”
AND the SOON to come , and I mean SOON!! Chip in our bodies all in the name of NATIONAL SECURITY ! Get ready people ! TIME TO FIGHT !!
A holiday–Immortalize that black man–doubt it! The world has gone to crap because of his folowers and people like him! Look at like this. The only reason the “so called follower” Jesse Jackson has a cause is that he has the black population convinced they are the victim and they deserve and should take what the government has to offer! Louis Farrakhan hiding behind bulletproof glass–scared of his own people but he gives praise to MLK. Heck, Malcolm X wouldnt stand against Mohammed because he was scared that if he didnt give all authority over to Islam that he would be killed. OOPS, look what happened. So Im supposed to recognize MLK for what he did. He didnt do anyhting but have a dream that has turned into a nightmare. The liberals in government are buying up every vote they can. With every new food stamp program and welfare revision they make, the blacks grow more hungry for a handout! You dont hear of the public schools teachin children about the truth because they dont want the truth out there. Whites didnt just beat the crap out of the blacks and drag them over like they make it out–oh we da victum, we opresst! The head tribesman sold the best blacks to the white man for profit! They sold their own people out. I dont owe them nothin! So to go a long way to say it, NO that black son of a doesnt deserve a holiday! OH Ill celebrate it alright, takin day out of school and not doin nothin at work. Yeah ill take it though! Keep your minds clear ladies and gentlemen! Life is exciting but you got to know where you stand so you dont fall on your face!
No, MLK does not deserve a holiday. I will also add that I am appalled at the sad reality that most adults who have written to you, can not use proper english much less spell it. This nation is in deep S_IT. So much for our American educational system. OH YEAH!!!
Your WE HAVE A DREAM article makes broad assumptions that are not altogether true and often compares apples and oranges. Your references to the ills of reverends are obviously modeled after Jessie Jackson. While he deserves every criticism that he gets and then some I believe that lumping all black community and religious leaders into the same group as opportunistic users is a mistake. I also believe that lumping Martin Luther King Jr. into the same group with JFK, Marilyn Monroe, Princess Diana and Elvis is also a mistake. As you point out only thing that they have in common is dying young. I am not a historian but can pick out some major character flaws in JFK, Marilyn Monroe, and Elvis but have a hard time coming up with one for Mr. King. I believe that the day has come when you can criticize black cultural icons without being labeled a racist however you failed to give one valid criticism of Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. day is what you’re looking for a holiday that really matters. It is not about football, presents or hangovers Martin Luther King Jr. had a life that that is worth remembering and worth celebrating. And this is coming from a conservative white male in the top income bracket.
Dan
i do think that luther deserves his own holiday. he has granted the equality of many blacks and i think that is wonderful. however, i do think that white people should celebrate the holiday as well. in FL cretain work places only gave the black people the day off. what kind of racism is that? if we only gave white people the day off on independance day, since they had absolutely nothing to do with our independance, those civil rights media whores like jessie jackson would be all over it like a brotha on a bucket of fried chicken.
Well of course he deserves his own holiday. Its the only day of the year I have a reason to be sick to my stomach.
No, he doesn’t deserve a holiday. Just like everyone else has stated we condense all the lives that were given in the preserving of out great nation into a single day along with the Pres. that have lead our nation through tough times. I know what your saying, oh but he represents the social inequality, well get off it. The man was a womanizer and if you want to talk about someone who help the blacks in there efforts to become free and equal then why not have a Lincoln Day. After all he signed the Emancipation Proclamation. As far as i’m conserned MLK day is a bunch of crap
M.L.K. Was a great leader of black americans. But he did not represent americans as a whole as did the past presidents of the U.S.A..so therefore he doesent deserve a holliday in his name for all americans to participate in.
Would you look at all the Nazis. I guess the writer now knows who his/her fan base is.
I am not outraged by the Outrage, but by the Neo-Nazi’s who commented.
Heh. Can’t wait to see the stuff on this one.
Only one thing I don’t agree with you on here: New Year’s isn’t SUPPOSED to be about anything other than getting drunk. It’s the one and only guilt-free true holiday in today’s self-flagellating rhetoric. If you try to really properly party any other time of the year without mentioning the purpose of the holiday and purchasing the appropriate merchandise, somebody with a bug up their ass and a hole in their wallet comes to tell you that you’ve forgotten what X-mas is really all about, you should be ashamed of yourselves, and would you please buy this wonderful Nativity scene from Church X as your repentance. (I, of course, am not Xtian, nor do I celebrate that holiday, so I don’t encounter this problem. It just seems like the most readily usable example.) Our crappy world NEEDS New Year’s Day to be purposeless, because if we don’t have SOMETHING that’s just for fun, we’re going to self-destruct.
As a side note, the only holidays I recognize are the patriotic ones, and the only one I really celebrate is the Fourth. Memorial Day and President’s Day are kind of like year-round things to me, me being the nationalist that I am. And nobody ever heard of getting drunk on President’s Day.
we must remind each generation fool, or they will make the same mistake. Icons are because humans are. We must beleive in something or there is no reason to achieve. Your time on earth is limited, there will be others after you and yours. History, all history is extremely important, less we stagnate in our own folly. Your views are of a very young mind…the abilty to really feel, reason and think somehow has been amputated…in a neurotic attempt to be king of the universe! hush fool! you’re embarassing the humans.
The day a monument to him is erected on the mall in DC, I’m leaving the country!
The following has been attributed to Angy Rooney:
I don’t think being a minority makes you a victim of anything except numbers. The only things I can think of that are truly discriminatory are things like the United Negro College Fund, Jet Magazine, Black Entertainment Television, and Miss Black America. Try to have things like the United Caucasian College Fund, Cloud Magazine, White Entertainment Television, or Miss White America; and see what happens. Jesse Jackson will be knocking down your door.
I have the right “NOT” to be tolerant of others because they are different, weird, or tick me off.
When 70% of the people who get arrested are black, in cities where 70% of the population is black, that is not racial profiling, it is the Law of Probability.
I believe that if you are selling me a milk shake, a pack of cigarettes, a newspaper or a hotel room, you must do it in a form of English that is understandable!
I could’t agree more! NO to holiday for MLK!!!!!!!
Holiday for MLK? Not just no, but H*LL no! My first awareness of Dr. King was while I was stationed at Eielson AFB, Alaska in the early 50’s. A Black barracks-buddy subscribed to Jet magazine and circulated it when he was finished. I found MLK in one of the center full-page photos in an issue of this all-black magazine, being escorted into a Detroit emergency room fuzzy fedora hat and all, by his “aides” while prominently displaying a screwdriver sticking out of his chest! It seems that the tool had been a donation from an irate husband of one of the women he was cheating on Coretta with. He showed up more times in the future, never in an honorable context. I got the feeling that Jet resented him disgracing the clergy he was supposed to belong to, and shaming honorable Blacks. It’s amusing that since his “martyrdom” he is being given secular canonization by vote hungry politicians. Reagan bought black votes by giving him a National Holiday (for shame, Ronnie, that was misuse of power) and Dubyah is now trying to cash in on Reagan’s success by suggesting that this profligate preacher deserves a national monument in D.C. I guess the next move to suck up to the black voters is to posthumously elect MLK the first Black President! Hey, give that horny goat credit, he was one bodacious speech maker, but that shouldn’t qualify him for the Holiday he was given, let alone lift him to sainthood.
In keeping with the idea of national holidays … let’s think about contacting our congressional representatives and have them introduce legislation which provides : “All days being considered for a Naional Holiday are to be submitted to vote of the American people in a general election” !! This should also apply to state holidays in my opinion .. what say you ??
“Our final dream is that the day will come in America when one can criticize black cultural icons without being labeled a racist. We call this the impossible dream.”
I have a dream of my own.
A day will come in America when one can criticize jews without being labeled anti Semitic. Now that is what I call a really impossible dream!
I have had enough of black everything. I never have, never will date blacks. If you have a preference for your own race you are automatically labeled a racist.
In the Federal Government in the Washington, DC area just check with the Office of Personnel Management and they will tell you their goal is 85% black in all agencies. This leave whites (me) and all other minorities with no hope of being promoted or having a career in the Wasington, DC Area. My Book is coming out on in the next 9 months and can be bought on Amazon.com, the title “Reverse Discrimination in the Federal Government”.
I will be for a MLK holiday when I get fair treatment, too.
Personally, I prefer the holiday my group of friends has invented to celebrate black culture. It’s called “Ghetto Gansta Day” and takes place on the first saturday of black history month (February for those living under a rock). We eat fried chicken, drink forty ounce bottles cheep beer, and smoke blunts. I like this holiday enough to make a once a year exception from my normal, non-potsmoking stance, in order to get into the holiday spirit. So, write your senator. Ghetto Gansta Day is exactly what this country needs the most right now.
no, he doesnt need his own holiday. i think they should just give all the black people at work a bucket of fried chicken and that should do. maybe some watermelon for desert. thats all they deserve.
If we are going to have a special holiday for the sole purpose of honoring a person of a particular ethnic background then we should have equal holidays for each of the peoples who make up the American Matrix. How about a Wehrner VonBraun day to close the post offices and banks?