How do you, or do you, observe MLK Day? And do the Clintons?

Discussion in 'Miscellaneous' started by FFCinPCB, Jan 21, 2008.

  1. FFCinPCB

    FFCinPCB New Member

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    Last part was for chuckle effect, but a serious question.

    I ask because:

    1) I assume this website is populated by mostly white Americans;

    and

    2) I never fail to hear white Americans say something derogatory about this day every year.

    Be honest.
     
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  2. timmyg

    timmyg Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 20, 2006
    RE: How do you, or do you, observe MLK Day? And do the Clint

    Totally agree about #2.

    But one year my friends and I decided to be somewhat ironic and watch "Menace II Society" and listen to gangsta rap. I guess the premise was its all material that would probably shock MLK if he were to suddenly return.

    We weren't being snide, but it def put a lot of stuff into perspective.
     
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  3. Clevelandmo

    Clevelandmo Active Member

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    Sep 13, 2007
    RE: How do you, or do you, observe MLK Day? And do the Clint

    There's your first derogatory remark
     
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  4. FFCinPCB

    FFCinPCB New Member

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    RE: How do you, or do you, observe MLK Day? And do the Clint

    I did say, "be honest."
     
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  5. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

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    I fly my flag on all federal holidays, as well as on election day, Armed Forces Day, and the birthday of the USAF [September 17th -- only 9 more shopping months! :D ] I began to notice during the Clinton Administration that there were only two holidays when my neighbors -- at the time that included a significant number of retired military officers -- DIDN'T fly the flag. The first was President's Day [after all, that would include honoring the current president at the time] and the second was MLK day.

    I've been on record with my opinon that MLK Jr. was the greatest American of the 20th century, [Washington-18th; Lincoln-19th if you were wondering] and I've been angry for years about how mainly white America ignores or hates the holiday. It bothers me almost as much as conservatives saying "if he were alive today, King would be against Affirmative Action." What rubbish.

    Anyhow, when I went out to lunch today, I noticed that the only flags other than mine that were flying in my neighborhood are those that have been up every day [and night, unlit, sigh :( ] since 9/11.

    Today isn't a day off for me. My company switches between President's Day and MLK day for a company holiday. On previous MLK days, I have taken part in the SA march -- reputed to be the largest in the nation. I missed the last couple because of the knee situation, and hoped to make today's march, but couldn't get the time off.

    It is interesting to me that there's one month and one day set aside to recognize African Americans in this country. And what we hear from the former is "Why isn't there a White History Month" and for the latter "Why honor that communist philanderer." It's also interesting to me that the holiday is perceived as a "Black Holiday," as if the man's life and achievements didn't benefit and belong to all of us.

    The good news is that the knee-jerk racism of my generation is being supplanted by the generation I'm watching in the Young Adult church group I facilitate.

    Hope that wasn't too political, Christian, but you asked.
     
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  6. Clevelandmo

    Clevelandmo Active Member

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    As Hatter said, greatest 18th century American is Washington, greatest 19th century American is Lincoln, and greatest 20th century American is King. My derogatory remark every MLK day is lamenting the fact that kids understand the signifcance of what MLK did but fewer understand the same for Lincoln and almost zero understand the same for Washington.
     
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  7. jmh

    jmh New Member

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    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    I have the day off, so thus far I've observed MLK Day by sleeping in.

    Hey, you said to be honest.
     
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  8. SteveM19

    SteveM19 New Member

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    Cleveland OH
    Since we are being honest, I listened to a good radio show on MLK on Sirius Channel 159, and went to work, where I am now
     
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  9. dtwondough

    dtwondough New Member

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    being from Mississippi, it was always a big day growing up. I remember for the most of my years in school, we had an all day assembly. Then we started getting the day off. I don't think schools should be out on MLK day. I like the idea of an all day long assembly teaching the students about MLK and his principles. But, I think, for a long time in Mississippi, it was also Rober E Lee day. Now there are several more knowledgable folks than I on this board and could give great lessons on Robert E Lee. Problem is, most just associate General Lee as a car in Dukes of Hazard or a General fighing for the south and slavery. but that just gets back to ignorance of most of our general population. But what do I do for MLK day? I come to work and watch the Marade from my office window and then ponder how many are out there because they truly believe MLK was a great man and how many are out there to either 1)protest society, or 2) get a day off from work/school.
     
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  10. pettyfog

    pettyfog Well-Known Member

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    What 'conservatives' might those be, Don? Buchanan? Michael Savage?

    The ones I've heard say that say it in context of: "If MLK was alive today, he'd be against how Affirmative Action turned out".

    While the holiday is, to an extent, a sop.. there's no doubting what effect the man had on American Society, both as a focus of the civil rights effort, and calling attention to wrongs that needed to be addressed.

    In that context, it makes no difference what his core political values were. Or his private foibles.
    He, like most of us, was a man.. and not running for 'Saint'.
     
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  11. pettyfog

    pettyfog Well-Known Member

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    By the way... IDGAF How the Clintons do it.

    But I saw Slick Willie on Fox* addressing Ebenezer Baptist this AM. His mouth was moving... thus he was lying, so I muted it.

    * Notable that MSNBC, CNN WERENT carrying it. They must have thought the same thing.
     
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  12. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

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    lol about the Dukes of Hazzard reference. You're probably right. I had forgotten that Virginia [where I used to teach] adopted the holiday as "Lee-King-Jackson" day, figuring there was ideological balance between a black man and two Confederate Generals. Nice trick, balancing a man who promoted peace and understanding among all races with two men who told their subordinates to kill as many members of the United States Army as it took to guarantee that slavery could continue.
     
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  13. dtwondough

    dtwondough New Member

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    Come on now Hatter, you know that Civil war was fought over much more than just slavery. You are much smarter than that. And Lee went to the same Westpoint that Grant went to and they had the same mutual respect for each other.
     
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  14. pettyfog

    pettyfog Well-Known Member

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    #14
  15. BarryP

    BarryP New Member

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    In all honesty I do not celebrate Martin Luther King Jr day but it is not as a slight to the man. I admire the man. He was an influential American and his legacy should be taught to children of all races in my opinion.

    Just for the record I also do not celebrate President's day or my own birthday. For me honoring those who have stood for the rights of others including myself is better demonstrated in the way I live my life daily than picking one day on the calendar and proclaiming it a holiday.
     
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  16. Spencer

    Spencer Active Member

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    Jul 1, 2005
    There are no traditions or protocol to follow in my half Minnesotan half Canadian fully lily white family. So basically I don't celebrate it, to just pick up and start would feel somewhat like a token and tacky effort.

    The man definitely deserves a holiday though and theres no reason to be derogatory about it. Most white Americans are just caught in an odd place.
     
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  17. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

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    Well, there were other issues to be sure. But the ONLY MAJOR national issue for over 40 years in the United States was slavery and its spread to western territories. The Missouri Compromise and the Great Compromise of 1850 were all designed to keep the Union together by maintaining parity between slave holding and free states.

    Starting with the Wilson Administration [he was concerned that the nation hadn't united enough after the Civil War for us to become a world player], there was a concerted effort to downplay slavery in our textbooks. With the growth in population of Southern states in the 1950s -- Texas, Florida, Georgia -- and the fact that no sales in those states meant huge losses, textbook publishers played it down even more.

    The truth is that not only was the Civil War the result of the slavery issue, but so was the War with Mexico 1845-48. So was the annexation of Texas. So was the civil war in Kansas and Missouri the the 1840s and 1850s. The end of the line for the South's combined power to perpetuate slavery in the United States was the creation of the Republican Party and Lincoln's election. The was NO OTHER reason that any state seceeded other than slavery.

    While you're reading Pettyfog's wiki-link on Robert E. Lee's views on slavery [about as germane as Rommel's views about the holocaust], google the articles of secession for any state and see why THEY believed they were seceeding. I know that in the Texas articles the only word mentioned more than slavery or slaves was "the."

    Now I don't care whether Lee went to college with Grant or that Lee and Jackson weren't slavers. I didn't say that. What I DID say was that they were at war with the United States in order to guarantee the survival of the CSA. The CSA existed solely to perpetuate slavery ... ergo.

    And my contrast of Jackson/Lee with King is to the point. They did, in fact, head armies. Now, at war, it is the duty of soldiers to kill the other guys. But let's tell the whole truth here. Jackson and Lee were in the business of killing soldiers in the US Army. It's that plain. Celebrate them if you will; that's cool. Let's just don't kid ourselves.
     
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  18. pettyfog

    pettyfog Well-Known Member

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    But they ARE just as germane as Rommel's views. That's why both are admired or at least studied for their strategy and tactics.

    While we're at it... if that is the qualification, why don't southerners celebrate McClellan? He found every way possible to avoid killing soldiers of the South.

    A real HERO of the CSA! And... hmmm.. George Armstrong Custer, anyone?
     
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  19. dtwondough

    dtwondough New Member

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    I don't know that anyone has said that they celebrate Lee or Jackson. I certainly don't have a problem with either of them being honored. Hatter, I know you are older than I, but the only text books I've ever seen do nothing but emphasize slavery being the sole reason for the war. And this was in Jackson, Mississippi. I had to read on my own to find out that the vast majority of the south could never afford to own slaves. I had to read to find out that even the leaders of North had slaves, including Mr Lincoln. It wasn't the right to have slaves. It was the right to have the choice. To leave that power in the decisions of the state. Slavery would have eventually disipatted over time, agreed by just about all scholars on the civil war. I typically try and stay away from the political conversations and debate as I don't feel I'm well armed when it comes to those subjects.

    Also, this discussion has been hijacked from a MLK tribute to our ramblings on the civil war. But I'm guilty of that by responding.
     
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  20. bearzfan4lfe

    bearzfan4lfe New Member

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    We had an MLK Day Eve party at my friends house last night. Basically it was an excuse to have a party as are all federal holiday's that are observed on Monday.

    One thing I did notice is that the History Channel had no specials or programming highlighting the life and accomplishments of Dr. King. Normally they have specials or previously produced shows focusing on the holiday that is being observed. I'm not quite sure what to make of this. So I just watched Batman Begins and tried to sleep off my hangover.
     
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