Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
 

It's great to have a day off tomorrow. I've been watching some documentaries about Dr. King. Anyone have special plans for tomorrow?

http://www.thekingcenter.org/

Excerpt from Martin Luther King's “I Have a Dream” Speech

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered this speech on August 28, 1963, on the steps of the Washington, D.C., Lincoln Memorial during the march on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. For the full text, see the Martin Luther King, Jr. Papers project at Stanford University, www.stanford.edu/group/king .

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.” I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.

More exerpts from his speeches. ...Such powerful words.

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/mlkspeeches.html

I won't be thinking about the subject of this thread. But I do have the day off :) Actually, I have a dr. appt...can't even sleep late :)

I didn't know until tonight it was even MLK day tomorrow. The only problem I have is that the banks will be closed and it will be Tuesday before I can cash my check. lol As far as MLK goes, I applaud him, he deserves to be honored for what he did in his life.

I was just thinking this tought, only in America can one be shunned, politically, socially, economically, not allowed to ride, nor eat, nor go to school with Caucasians, & less than half a century later, be celebrating a National holiday for.

Martin Luther King has lessons for all of us.

Have a great day off Today.

Dr. King should be remembered as one of the people in history who changed the world. The civil rights movement changed America for the better, and that movement, like all movements, evolved into what we now call the human rights movement. Change is taking place globally to bring freedom and demoracy to people who don't even know what they are. Dr. Kings place in world history should not be diminished because of the color of his skin- he should be honored for the content of his character- and for the good he did for America and the world.

Our corporate office has today off, we don't and we are located in MEMPHIS - - go figure!

our choir is singing today at a big mlk celebration. will be thousands there.

i sure aint looking forward to hauling all the equipment after being in 3 services yesterday almost non stop from early morning to 10pm

teacher here some i'm off today. did something neat with my 3rd graders last week though. i went through and gave a piece of candy to all students with blue shirts on (but didn't tell them that) and the others were stunned and miffed at me. later i came back and explained how unfair that was for me to give candy to only those with blue shirts and so we talked about mlk and what he did. we talked about how senseless it was to deny priveleges to someone because of a color.

Cool idea! (I hope you followed up with candy for the rest of the kids! :winkgrin)

well it was tempting not to just for fun....BUT i did. you don't play around with candy! lol!

Those people who fought along side Dr. King for civil rights and especially those others who died for that cause have a legacy, too. If you didn't experience what they experienced by segregation and worse, then there is no real way you can understand completely their feelings for Dr. King.

When I started attending a Oneness church, the pastor didn't even want us to invite black people to church and sure didn't want them to attend. I credited it to ignorance and his having been brought up in the deep south where that teaching was so pervasive. I wonder how God looks at it when people continue with prejudices and discrimination?...I'm not being accusatory of anyone here. Just wondering and heading to walk....:walking:

I remember when I was little we would go to Mississippi to visit relatives. Hate and fear were very strong there. Dr. King was a very hard worker for civil rights, it is only fitting to me that we have a day to remember him as one who tried to unite America against racism.

I remember as a young child wondering why black kids couldn't go to school with us and thinking it made no sense. There were separate restrooms, water fountains and they couldn't eat at the lunch counters, etc. There was really no such thing as "separate but equal"...What a turbulent time the 60s were when the significant changes in civil rights came.

When you begin to consider Americans who never served as a President, or as a military commander, the list of truely GREAT Americans that stand ahead of Dr. King is very short.

One can argue that Ben Franklin is first on that list simply because there might not even be a United States of America without him, beyond that no one comes to mind....

I hate that he was killed in the prime of his life.

Wonder just how different things would be had he not been killed. Would he have continued on the path he was going or would he have been distracted? Would Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton be different than they are today?

Just a load of questions of what if!

When I see news clips of the dogs and fire hoses being used against black people it hurts my heart to see that kind of hate just because someone is a different color. And it is sad but true that there are still people that hate and use subtle language and attitudes but underlying that is fear.

FERD

here's how i think it ought to be done. I think America should have one day for all the heros and you pick the one you want to celebrate. you can pick Lincoln, Washington, MLK, St patrick, colombus or whoever, instead having a zillion holidays.

Oh no, my husband is working today and getting all that holiday pay......

That's bascially what they did for President's Day. Combined Lincoln and Washington holidays into the one.

I dont have a problem with Presidents day being seperate, nor do I have a problem with MLK day. MLK was singluar in American History. No non-President has had the kind of impact on American Culture the way MLK did.

At some point in time, there might be a cause to realign an "American Hero's day, that brings some kind of light to all the Great Americans who have made us what we are, but even though it has been 40 years, MLKs contribution remains ever present.

just more money to shop at the mall ? :stretch:

I agree otherwise we'll end up with too many holidays that most people don't celebrate or commerate anyways.
I'm surprised we don't have a ceaser Chavez day and some type of day to remember the native Indians and a day for stonewall in the future- you get the idea

No sir I don't do the mall thing. :D

One of his greatest statements was in his "I have a dream" speech where he asked that his children be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

Oh that we'd all have exemplary content of character, and we should if we are claiming to be Christ like! How have you been treating folks lately?

o come on

10 Quotes
 

In His Own Words -- Martin Luther King Jr.
Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. inspired a nation to change largely through his riveting speeches. Considered one of the greatest orators in United States history, his thoughts on racial equality have been repeated by many speakers throughout the years since his assassination. His skill with words powered King's nonviolent battle for integration and equal rights. Here are 10 quotations from the eminently quotable activist.

1. He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. -- "Stride Toward Freedom," 1958.

2. The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. -- "Strength to Love," 1963.

3. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. -- "Letter from Birmingham Jail," April 16, 1963.

4. Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. -- "Strength to Love," 1963.

5. Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor. -- "Letter from Birmingham Jail," April 16, 1963.

6. The means by which we live have outdistanced the ends for which we live. Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men. -- "Strength to Love," 1963.

7. Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. -- "Letter from Birmingham Jail," April 16, 1963.

8. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. -- "I Have a Dream," civil rights march on Washington, D.C., August 28, 1963. (Source: The New York Times)

9. Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon. It is a weapon unique in history, which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it. It is a sword that heals. -- "Why We Can't Wait," 1964.

10. The security we profess to seek in foreign adventures we will lose in our decaying cities. -- [Referring to U.S. Vietnam policy.] Address at Riverside Church, New York. (Source: History Today, April 1998)

actually many consider Ceasar Chavez day to be Laborday.

the Indians are trying to kill Colombus day so maybe at some point, they will just abscond with that day all together!

I think the idea of a "great Americans day" is a great idea. bring focus on a number of great contributors like Daniel Webster and Thurgood Marshall and a host of others.

sounds like a good idea to me - one day to cover all the heros

It bugs me that some people seem to want to always jump on MS for the "race issues."

Sure, we had our share of racial incidents, but every state in the union has at some point in time.

I grew up in the state and attended school there from 1st grade to 6th grade (when we were integrated) to graduation in 1974. I had many great friends during that time who were black an I still have great friends who are black. Blacks and whites seemed to always get along well enough. Fights and arguments were no more between them than they were between whites alone.

My family had black people as friends and many times they came to our house and we to theirs. Black and whites seem to get along just fine in the small southern MS town I grew up in.

But anyway, just had to jump in and defend a state that I love. Mississippi has got a bad rap, but it has never been just all about Mississippi and race, though a few make it out to be.

No need to get in defensive mode if there is no validity to the claims

Lacy, I mean no disrespect when i say this, but i can pretty much garentee, that everyone reading your comments above are giggling....

MS had its share of racial issues...BUT so did every other state?

that is kind of like saying that Birminghamd AL. Church had a firecracker go off in it!

Lol....yes, I was giggling!

When we lived in Jackson, MS there was a full page ad run in the Sunday paper that said "The South Will Rise Again"......they can't let it go. This was in the 80's.

In Canada they could make a Ron day in honour of all the Ron's in history!

Hey if I get a day off with pay why not?

All kidding aside there is talk about having a holiday in Feb to honour our flag.

It is a long stretch from Jan 1 to Easter.

wasnt that guy in the Canadian commerical named Ron?

"My name is Ron and I am Candadian!"

LOL!

I get 3 Native American holidays off w/pay, I work at the reservation out here.:biggrin:



ARPH :doggyrun

and where is that at ?

Nope ain't happening. I like what we have here in our little town. I remember going to shopping centers when I was younger. That is big enough for me. :)

in Lemoore

ARPH :doggyrun

I was just speaking of the experiences I had as a child visiting there at the time. My mom was born and raised in Mississippi and I loved going there to see our relatives. It was just so different than Dallas, TX. where I grew up. I was not trying to make it seem that Mississippi was more racist then any other state. I saw things that still haunt me to this day.

Really??? they have reservations out there??
I know they have the casino there and also the ones up above Fresno in the mountains but didn't know they were near a reservation. when i think of a reservation i think of the ones I've driven past in Arizona and New Mexico. it was very depressing.run down trailers, beer cans everywhere, rusted cars,etc