'I remember all the hubbub over designating a holiday for Dr. King. Now,
it's like, "Well, he's got his ______holiday, so we'll make it whatever we
want on it."'
Wilma,
I also look at some holidays a bit differently. The movement and hope that
Dr. King struggled for was with him everyday.
As Dr. King and then Bobby Kennedy were killed, the assaults on their
movements were pursued relentlessly everyday by powerful forces like the
military industrial complex. The Vietnam War, which Dr. King fought to end
in 1968, is another prime example that the deaths of these heroes did not
somehow mark a victory for their principals or movements. I think, most of
all, Dr. King would like us to pick up the torches and hope he carried and
keep the fire lit everyday.
I wonder, are we to be pacified with some holidays? Are we encouraged to buy
into the lie that the goals of King, Ghandi, Bhutto and Jesus have been
realized? Does the "spin" of the holiday mislead the young about the nature
of the struggles that these real heroes encouraged us to embrace daily?
What does "community service" mean? I like to feel good about doing good
deeds but I worry about categorizing community service into some "feel good"
activity. It's like putting some dollars in the churches collection plate
each Sunday isn't the only feature of living the churches principals.
When I see several turkey dinners surrounding each homeless person on
Christmas day, I remember that Dr. King would have thought about the lives
of these people the other days as well. I sometimes think "the day of
community service" becomes a dangerous distraction. Sort of like a business
"write off" for citizens.
I think a good way to honor the memory of Dr. King would be to read, "Where
Do We Go From Here, Chaos Or Community." It is an inspiration to honor and
renew his movement the other 364 days rather than wasting so many turkey
dinners.
Peace,
Glenn
----- Original Message -----
From: "Wilma de Soto" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "UnivCity listserv" <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 8:05 AM
Subject: [UC] About Martin Luther King Day
This is a serious day for me. Not a day of service.
It has become that because powerful people wish to sweep under the rug the
true reason Dr, King was assassinated, and that was because he strove for
blacks to be treated equally under the law.
He went about it in an non-violent manner had was met with intransigent
violence until the end of his life.
This "Day of Service" thing to me is a way of revising history and
glossing
over how Dr. King was treated. For me this day is STILL about blacks being
treated equally under the law.
If any of you have read Tom Ferrick's recent reports on the Trade Union
membership in Philadelphia, one realizes that this has changed little
since
Reconstruction.
I remember all the hubbub over designating a holiday for Dr. King. Now,
it's like, "Well, he's got his ______holiday, so we'll make it whatever we
want on it."
I have nothing against those who wish to beautify the area, I just don't
think this day should be associated with that.
It's more important than that.
-Wilma
Historians Fear MLK's Legacy Is Being Lost
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=2008-01-21_D8UA90500&show_article=1&;
cat=breaking
Arkansas Celebrates MLK/Lee Day
http://www.arkansasleader.com/frontstories/st_01_19_05/birthdays.html
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