If MLK lived, would he still be a hero?

Jewish World Review ^ | 1-19-04 | Clarence Paige

[SC DOC]

If you wrote an essay on King's "Dream" speech, you are probably aware that he got much of the content from a Black minister, Archibald Carey, who gave a speech to the Republican National Convention in 1952.

[Carey, 1952]

We, Negro Americans, sing with all loyal Americans:

My country 'tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the Pilgrim's pride
From every mountainside
Let freedom ring!

That's exactly what we mean — from every mountain side,
let freedom ring. Not only from the Green Mountains and White Mountains of Vermont and New Hampshire; not only from the Catskills of New York; but from the Ozarks in Arkansas, from the Stone Mountain in Georgia, from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia — let it ring not only for the minorities of the United States, but for . . . the disinherited of all the earth — may the Republican Party, under God, from every mountainside, LET FREEDOM RING!

[King, 1968]

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

My country 'tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the Pilgrim's pride
From every mountainside
Let freedom ring!

So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire!
Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York!
Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!
Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California!
But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!
Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill of Mississippi!
From every mountainside, let freedom ring!

When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

[baltodog]

Yes, I was aware of that. I'm also aware of charges of plagiarism. I have discussed these issues with my children since they are all studying MLK at school.

I guess that the thing that makes his memory "sacred" to me is that, in my opinion, our country needed a MLK at that particular point in time.

I truly believe that our country needed to hear his message, from him.

I hope I'm getting my point across as I'm finding it hard to explain. He was more of a "personal responsibility" type of person than what we have now...

[MHGinTN]

MLK would not be endorsing the black genocide that keeps Jackson and Sharpton the darlings of the dnc, that's for sure! MLK had a dream, a vision, a high purpose for this nation ... that America would live up to its espoused values as written in the DI and Constitution. As such, there would always be some faction that would berate him for that dream. Some will continue to do so even though he's in the grave. But as long as there are folks (including this ol' White boy) who agree with his vision for America, where competition is fair, vital to national health, and valued over handouts, MLK is still a force to be reckoned with.

[Richard Kimball]

bump for later

[baltodog]

I agree.

Jackson, Sharpton, and their ilk, build their careers on other peoples' misery. There will be a special place in hell for them.

I have many black friends. My business (aircraft inspection) is very exact and demanding. If you were to tell any one of them that they got their job because of a quota or anything other than their qualifications, they would be offended.

[decimon]

The writer's name is Page and not Paige.

Whatever King's negatives, he got done what needed to be done. He was a lefty? Okay, but it was the left that gave support.

Not really relying to you but making comments.

[snooker]

All you really need to know about MLK is Charlton Heston was a big supporter of his.

Use that as a yardstick to see how far his legacy has been twisted to suit the needs of the race hustle crowd.

They have clearly made MLK's vision into a nightmare.

[B4Ranch]

"King" + "communist" Google search

[snooker]

Yeah well, ... but MLKs message was anything but communist. This is probably the democrat party trying to tear him down.

Read MLK's actual works and see for yourself.

Never forget the picture of Gov Wallace standing in the school house door, segregation forever. That's what the dems wanted, that's why all the dem governors in the south put the confederate flag on the statehouse roofs. Just ask kkk Bryd.

First hand knowledge trumps google search.

[Revolting cat!]

MLK Jr is an American secular Saint and another example of the Conservatives' compromise with the Communist Left now dominating the political discourse in this country. OK, the Conservatives say, we'll overlook the plagiarisms the demagoguery, the Communist connections for the piece of mind, let's move on (dot org,) we're against "Racism" too, O.J. Simpson and Michael Jackson are victims of "Racism"!

There was more decency for all involved in George Wallace's America of 1964 than there is today. Turn on your radio or TV for proof!

[waterstraat]

. He was a lefty? Okay, but it was the left that gave support

As I remember, it was the conservatives and republicans who supported king and equal rights for blacks. It was the republicans who got the 1965 civil rights act passed( most of the democrats were against it, esp the southern democrats).

I also dont know why you say King was a lefty either? King supported the constitution and "equality" - there is nothing leftist about that. King never asked for blacks to ride the bus for free, but to allow blacks to purchase bus tickets. King didnt ask for welfare, but rather for blacks to get jobs. King didnt ask for federal subsidized houseing but for blacks to be able to buy houses.

If you want to call King a leftist, then you had better support that statement. I dont remember King asking for something for nothing.

[I got the rope]

I wish he was still alive so that we could see his doctorate yanked out from under him.

[I got the rope]

also dont know why you say King was a lefty either?

Maybe it was because of the people he was associated with...

[NYCVirago]

Cone's excellent 1992 book "Martin and Malcolm and America: A Dream or a Nightmare" described how, just as Malcolm X became more moderate in his final years, King grew more militant.

But many people don't remember Malcolm X talking about us all being brothers, or breaking with the NOI, or the fact that he was assassinated by Elijah Muhammed's flunkies. People who like Malcolm X just remember him sticking it to whitey.

[ChicagoHebrew]

King wouldn't be a Republican, he'd be something we don't have in the US anymore, but are quite prevelant in Europe: a Christian Democrat. He'd tick off the Left with support for prayer in schools, school vouchers, fighting illigetimacy etc. He'd tick off the right by advocating stronger anti-poverty programs and regulations (i.e. higher min wage etc.). As a result, he'd have few friends.

[eureka!]

You're probably right.

[dfwgator]

If MLK were still alive, there would be no streets named after him, then how would people know where to go to buy drugs?

[dfwgator]

I've always said, if Malcolm X were alive today, he would be branded an "Uncle Tom." He was for guns, self-determination, and he understood the destructive force welfare was in the black community, in other words, straight out of what "Project 21" talks about. There was actually one good scene in the Spike Lee movie where some dim-witted white blonde college co-ed goes up to Malcolm and asks him, "what can I do to help your cause," to which Malcolm tells her, "nothing!"

[doug9732]

MLK made the single most influential speech in US history.
All that dirt about his character is interesting, but will never change that fact.