Martin Luther King, Jr. Day today

[ProfJohn]

Originally posted by: beyoku
BTW R.I.P.
I do think most in this forum would not even like MLK when it came down to it. They would call him and side show, race card player, fake preacher, and point out his imperfections (like anyone is perfect) I think you guys would really talk him down the same way you talk Sharpton and Jackson down. We should note that neither Sharpton nor Jackson are perfect and Both have a message of peace and use similar methods as MLK fighting for civil rights.

You are comparing Sharpton and Jackson to MLK?

I am sorry but I do not see anything in the way that Jackson and Sharpton carry themselves that reminds me of MLK and his message. Unless I missed the stories of MLK rushing to every story that pit blacks vs. whites.

 

[ProfJohn]

MLK was a great man who sits up there with Gandhi in his belief of non-violent methods in order to achieve ones ends.

However I do not think we should have a national holiday in his honor. He is the ONLY American to have a paid federal holiday solely to themselves, not counting Christmas. Even George Washington has to share his holiday with Lincoln, and its generally called Presidents day.

I have no problem with having a MLK day, but I do not think it should be elevated to the status of paid federal holiday.
Some interesting stuff on the origin of the holiday from Wikipedia

Martin Luther King Day was founded as a holiday promoted by labor unions in contract negotiations. After King's death in 1968, Rep. John Conyers introduced a bill in Congress to make King's birthday a national holiday, highlighting King's activism on behalf of trade unionists. Unions did most of the promotion for the holiday throughout the 1970s. In 1976, trade unionists helped to elect Jimmy Carter, who endorsed the King Day bill. After that endorsement, union influence in the King holiday campaign declined, and the King Center turned to support from the corporate community and the general public. The success of this strategy was cemented when musician Stevie Wonder released the single "Happy Birthday" to popularize the campaign in 1980 and hosted the Rally for Peace Press Conference in 1981. Six million signatures were collected for a petition to Congress to pass the law, termed by a 2006 The Nation article as "...the largest petition in favor of an issue in US history."

 

[beyoku]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn

Originally posted by: beyoku
BTW R.I.P.
I do think most in this forum would not even like MLK when it came down to it. They would call him and side show, race card player, fake preacher, and point out his imperfections (like anyone is perfect) I think you guys would really talk him down the same way you talk Sharpton and Jackson down. We should note that neither Sharpton nor Jackson are perfect and Both have a message of peace and use similar methods as MLK fighting for civil rights.

You are comparing Sharpton and Jackson to MLK?

I am sorry but I do not see anything in the way that Jackson and Sharpton carry themselves that reminds me of MLK and his message. Unless I missed the stories of MLK rushing to every story that pit blacks vs. whites.

Exactly, YOU dont see it. That does not mean they dont share similarities in their message of non-violence, speeches and marches behind civil rights and equal rights issues. When was the last time you have heard Sharpton or Jackson speak in person? When was the last time you have read a Sharpton or Jackson FULL speech on paper or internet? Ever? YOU probably dont pay attention to these people so you wouldnt know. Not many people can follow in the shadow of MLK, there is no need to make a comparison. These people are not perfect. Why do you attempt to show another group that THEIR leaders are not good enough for THEM....even though you probably know little about them.....or their leaders for that matter.

 

[Darwin333]

Jesse Jackson is a shakedown artist. He uses blackmail for his own personal gain.

 

[MegaWorks]

 

[daveshel]

That's all that needs to be said. Thread crapping seeks its own level eventually.