Sunday, January 15, 2017

Martin Luther King Day

The article linked below draws a direct connection between Dr. King's work and the struggles of today, particularly Black Lives Matter. But it makes as I see it a distinction without a difference when speaking of the "peace and love" King as distinct from and inferior to the "radical" King. Love and forgiveness is a pretty radical concept. So is nonviolent resistance. All the boycotts and protests and hard, physical work in the world can't bring about social justice without the spirit of love, forgiveness, peace and nonviolence. As we move forward into what bids fair to be one of the most unsettled, vicious and divisive periods in American history, let us embrace both parts of Dr. King's legacy.

Link

King's shift from dreamer to radical resonates for activists

22 comments:

  1. Radical? Or conservative?

    -Alan

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  2. Good question. In some cases, it really depends how you look at it.

    Pondering what you said on he last thread, Alan. Isn't it interesting and a little strange that the Internet has made possible a Renaissance of the small business and the artisan, what with sites like Etsie(sp?) and clearing houses like Craig's List. It all feeds into the local peace economy movement.

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  3. It's MLK, Jr's Birthday today! The country celebrates it on the 16th this year (Monday holiday) but today is the real deal. I think we may need at least 2 days this year anyway.

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  4. We are getting a dog. It growls at people it doesn't like, often biting them, is unpredictable, undisciplined and unteachable, has a worrisome history, and it is likely to do real harm to our grandchildren. Most members of the family asked us not to do this. But we already signed the papers, so now we are getting a dog.

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    1. When I read that I was confused because yesterday there was a picture of a girl with a puncture in her cheek with blood dripping from it. Apparently the Obama's dog Sunny bit her in the face. So your analogy just zoomed right over my head.

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    2. Susan, I never saw the story you mentioned. Sorry for the confusion. My poor brother freaked out and tried to call me, only I was cooking and not near my phone. He's okay now. (You'd think he'd KNOW we would never get a dog, as Mah*Sweetie cannot abide them. ;-)

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  5. Data show the “American Dream” is a fallacy and Americans still don’t realize it [Click] The US map showing state by state data is certainly interesting.

    GOP Congressman who ran ads saying he'd "stand up" to Trump, sees big pro-Obamacare crowd at townhall and leaves early. [Click]

    Inauguration Boycott Grows Along With Women's March Momentum [Click] I find the reports on bus parking permits and pink yarn sales to be particularly interesting. Out of curiosity I searched for "pussy hat" on amazon.com and etsy.com. A rather popular item, it seems! Does that bespeak the invisible hand of the marketplace made visible?

    Alan

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    1. RE the second item: Saw that headline somewhere today (might have been Twitter?) and must confess I couldn't help laughing. The mental picture of a politician running away from angry constituents is just wonderful.

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    2. Here's the right link; the web site switched videos on you, Cat.

      Women's March on Washington: The 'pussyhats' explained [Click]

      --Alan

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  6. Lotsa trubble wit the new phone line today. Hope it passes soon.

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    1. Sending good phone vibes! ♥

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    2. Is it a landline, or one of those newfangled radio jobs?

      --Alan

      P.S.: I was trying to figure out how to make a joke of how we (indeed, we--my family) just had to make one long ring to raise Central, no problem! But couldn't do it. Trees would fall and knock down telephone lines, particularly in the winter. And then it occurred to me that the hamlet (calling it a village might have been a stretch) where we lived got telephone before electricity. One would expect the opposite--but I suppose telephone wires were a lot less expensive to install. No need for poles, even, if the area had enough trees.

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  7. Was quite pleased to see that the circus is to close...except, I wonder what the performers will do now? Of course it's good for the animals, but maybe not so good for the people? I always wonder about the people when a business or, in this case, an industry closes. I hope they can find decent jobs because, really, it's long past time for the circus to close.

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  8. Well, it was an important piece of Americana. Not wierdly artsy as Cirque du Soleil is (IMO).

    Alan

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  9. Oops--that first "Title [Click]" link is a type louse--doesn't go anywhere.

    Alan

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  10. It certainly looked from Twitter as though the health care rallies were very well attended all across the country.

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