Posted on 01/17/2005 11:52:28 PM PST by kattracks
ATLANTA - Martin Luther King Jr.'s youngest child lit a torch at her father's tomb last month to kick off a march advocating a ban on gay marriage, creating a strong image linking the slain civil rights icon to today's heated social debate.
But just nine months earlier, King's widow defended the rights of gays and lesbians in a speech at a New Jersey college.
King never publicly spoke on gay rights while leading the charge toward racial equality in the 1950s and '60s, but the clash over gay marriage has prompted people close to his legacy to pick sides and interpret how they believe King would stand on the issue if he were alive.
Coretta Scott King, a longtime supporter of gay rights, has often invoked her late husband's teachings while advocating tolerance and equality for homosexuals. Most recently, she denounced the proposed national constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage in a speech at New Jersey's Richard Stockton College.
``Gay and lesbian people have families and their families should have legal protection, whether by marriage or civil union,'' she said in her March 23 address. ``A constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages is a form of gay bashing and it would do nothing at all to protect traditional marriages.''
Martin Luther King III, an organizer of the 40th anniversary commemoration of the 1963 March on Washington, joined his mother in inviting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender groups to participate. But although he opposes discrimation against gays, he has stopped short of supporting same-sex marriage, saying, ``I think we need to find a way to honor partnerships, but I don't think that marriage needs to be redefined.''
The Kings' youngest child, Bernice King, helped lead thousands of people in an Atlanta march last month that had an anti-gay agenda.
The march, organized by Bishop Eddie Long and his 25,000-member New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, also advocated issues such as education reform and affordable health care, but its listed first goal was an amendment to ``fully protect marriage between one man and one woman.''
Bernice King, an elder in the church, has repeatedly declined interview requests over the past month.
Alveda C. King - niece of the slain civil rights leader, founder of the faith-based King for America Inc. and a vocal opponent of gay marriage - said she joined her cousin in the Atlanta march because she believes her uncle never intended gay rights to be part of the civil rights movement.
``Bernice says herself that she knows deep within that her father did not march and did not take a bullet for same-sex marriage,'' said Alveda King.
``I don't believe that people should be penalized for their affections, but we need to be clear on the purpose of sexuality and marriage, that purpose being procreation,'' she said.
Beyond King's family, many who marched alongside him during the equality movement for blacks have drawn on his message of inclusion.
``Martin Luther King was one of most tolerant and understanding and generous persons I've ever known, and I'd never heard him make a judgmental statement about anyone's sexuality except his own,'' said former United Nations ambassador Andrew Young, who was a top aide to King.
U.S. Rep. John Lewis, who helped organize the March on Washington where King gave his famous ``I Have a Dream'' speech, has been a visible supporter of gay activists, filing a friend-of-the-court brief in the Massachusetts case that led to that state becoming the first in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage.
Discrimination of any kind is not something King would have stood for, said the Rev. Joseph Lowery, who co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference with King. ``I don't recall any experience that would put Dr. King in the category of excluding people,'' he said.
Young and other King associates say the whole debate is irrelevant to the issues at the heart of King's agenda, in which he attacked the ``triple evils'' of war, poverty and racism.
``The big issue that we have now is the number of abused children, the number of orphaned children, the number of divorces ... these are the issues gripping us,'' said the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who also worked closely with King.
Some black leaders have accused Republicans of using the gay marriage debate in the last election as a ploy to divide blacks, who typically vote mostly Democrat, on an issue that has never been a priority in the community.
``I don't remember neither Jesus or Martin Luther King discussing the issue,'' Lowery said.
NAACP board chairman Julian Bond said he's encouraged that King's legacy continues to inspire people, but he cautioned against drawing any conclusions about a man who's no longer alive to speak for himself.
``He is a handy weapon for both sides to wield. But that's not new. We hear all kinds of people quoting him to promote their point of view,'' Bond said. ``But if you're saying Martin Luther King wouldn't do this or would do that without any foundation, that's just your opinion.''
Alveda did an interview on my local radio last night
It was an impressive interview ... plus she is VERY pro-life
Homosexual Agenda Ping.
Remember that big pro-marriage march in Atlanta not long ago? Here's a little more info.
First of all, MLK was no saint, although he did good work in helping obtain legitimate civil rights for black people. It's a little sickening to see homosexual promoters dragging him in when they have no clue what he thought about equating people who engage in same sex acts with those born black.
Note: Another idiot makes the statement that "Jesus never said anything condemning homosexuality". Yup, and he never condemned bestiality, necrophilia, pedophilia, telemarketing, or simulated child porn. Transparent non-argument. I doubt they themslves think it has any validity, they think others are fooled.
Let me/DirtyHarryYK/ItsOurTimeNow know if anyone wants on/off this pinglist.
>"Coretta Scott King, a longtime supporter of gay rights, has often invoked her late husband's teachings..."<
If King were alive today, he'd be every bit as much of a lefty as his wife. It's the natural progression of lefty/socialists: they have to keep going left to find new victims of oppression.
MLK and Jessie Jackson were pals, and IIRC, MLK was tight with Castro or at least admired him.
To tell you the truth, the whole worship of MLK is just pandering to leftists/hypnotized black people.
How about George Washington Carver Day? Much better person to honor.
I think his dad had something to say about it.
Sodom and Gomorrah Rediscovered
http://www.bibleplus.org/discoveries/sodomfound.htm
And You know the saying:
Actions speak louder then words!
Many blacks in this show were made sick too.
Flag Wars....Sodomites harass poor & middle class Blacks to get their homes. (pos. barf alert)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1158429/posts
How about Booker T. Washington?
"No greater injury can be done to any youth than to let him feel that because he belongs to this or that race he will be advanced in life regardless of his own merit or efforts."--Booker T. Washington, 1857-1915
He was a great man as well. And I'm old enough to remember Booker T and the MGs.
George Washington Carver was a childhood hero of mine.
It includes men who want to dress as women (and there is no "wear the clothes of the opposite sex" gene, we are born naked, all clothing has an element of cultural fashion). It also includes men and women who have cosmetic surgery and possibly horomonal treatments to resemble members of the opposite sex; they call themselves "transexuals" but one has as much chance of changing his or her sex as they do changing their race. The DNA does not change. There is no sperm production or ovulation in those who have plastic surgery to resemble another sex. Some only get part of the treatment and retain their original genitalia ("she-males" with female shaped breasts and penises).
Hardly the type of discrimination that MLK was preaching against.
| What We Can Do To Help Defeat the "Gay" Agenda |
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| Homosexual Agenda: Categorical Index of Links (Version 1.1) |
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| Myth and Reality about Homosexuality--Sexual Orientation Section, Guide to Family Issues" |
The GBLTHOLDTHEONIONS movement provides support for a whole slew of sexual fetishes beyond simple homosexual preferences.
It's all about perversion.
I agree. Sometimes I wonder if a centenarian FDR would be rolling his wheelchair in marches for the legalization of bestiality. It's amazing how leftism never seems to stop marching to the left.
But again, at what point are Black Fundamentalists going to be pressured to jettison their traditional beliefs? Ever since being picked up as a cause by the Commies in the twenties Blacks have been insulated from any and all the leftist demands made on their white "co-religionists." Instead they seem to have been led into immorality by the "carrot" while the "stick" has hardened the social conservatism of white Fundamentalists. Was this an intentional outcome of the Hegelian struggle?
I'm just waiting for Rev. Al or someone of his ilk to come out and say something inane like "we Blacks have always believed in evolution and have never been tainted with the slightest fundamentalism."
Come on, Rev. Lowry! You know what leftwing intellectuals all those COGIC people down in the swamps of Mississippi have always been! Why don't you come out of the closet with it? [/sarcasm]
I have a somewhat idiosyncratic article pertaining to Dr. King on my web site.
bump^ thanks for the link
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