Interesting thread. Somebody suggested perspective from some black folk...so here goes....
I honestly find some of the historic symbols of patriotism a little ironic at best and somewhat disingenuous at worst. Can you imagine hearing some of the beautiful lyrics about freedom and liberty and God-given rights while at the same time recognizing that this was penned, quoted, and sang at a time when slavery was embraced based on color.
"O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave" just seems ironic. I'm not even sure how one could say "With liberty and justice for all" with a straight face given the reality of the time.
Without question there were also evil Africans who participated in the slave trade. I guess one of the differences for me is that they were not claiming to be a "Christian" nation with Christ-like ideals. They were not saying and writing the same kinds of things about about "all men being created equal" and certain Jehovah God-given rights. They were not claiming to be people of prayer and people who knew God.
I don't believe the lady meant to be disrespectful, but she may have been misguided in her efforts. It just seems to me that the races hold the traditional symbols at different levels of sacredness.
Actually when Jefferson penned those words he also included abolition of slavery, it just wouldn't carry the day and it was scratched. Also those were the very words that MLK referred to when trying to bring an end to segregation.
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"Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow." ~Aesop
That's the greater question at hand ... whether it should be viewed as such ... and whether this is battery acid ... or a pin prick.
Some things are just people using their freedoms ... creatively or politcally ... but swimming in them nonetheless ...
To equate a black woman who sang a patriotic song with words of another equally patriotic song ... is not battery acid....
More can be said about recent vandalism in Orlando in which 60 cars were trashed w/ racial slurs against Obama ...
Is talk radio in a huffy over this? Probably not.
Actually - from the flyers and a rant written out on a business card found at the scene, it seems that this was the work of Leftists. People who are angry that Obama is too conservative for them. I think "Talk Radio" probably gives the antics of people who are that extreme as little exposure as they can.
Thanks... I had wondered how it would play out. So she did apologize.
Yes, but it was one of those, "If anybody could possibly have been offended, and I honestly don't know how they could, but if they were, then I'm sorry..." kind of apologies.
Thank you, TS ... You've articulated this better than I have.
It was a freedom that cost blood. Not just at Bunker Hill but for generations after.
Just to clarify, I am not saying that the races hold America at different levels of respect, I'm just saying that some of the traditional writings might not have quite the same sacredness given the frankly disingenuous nature of what was said verses what was lived and embraced.
I am a military brat, and my father would to this day die for the flag. I would fight to defend my country as well.
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There are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Chuck Norris lives in Houston.
Either the United States will destroy ignorance, or ignorance will destroy the United States. – W.E.B. DuBois
Actually - from the flyers and a rant written out on a business card found at the scene, it seems that this was the work of Leftists. People who are angry that Obama is too conservative for them. I think "Talk Radio" probably gives the antics of people who are that extreme as little exposure as they can.
Leftist ... conservative ... does it matter???
I'm confused by this posture, Pelathais.
Talk radio lives for quoting extremist leftists as fodder .... hello.
Actually when Jefferson penned those words he also included abolition of slavery, it just wouldn't carry the day and it was scratched. Also those were the very words that MLK referred to when trying to bring an end to segregation.
Baron, I'm just saying that all those types of things were written, embraced, repeated, and held as sacred by millions of people who really didn't live by them. I'm not trying to put anyone down, I'm just talking about the reality of some of the sacred writings and how there is room for it to mean a bit more to some people.
__________________
There are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Chuck Norris lives in Houston.
Either the United States will destroy ignorance, or ignorance will destroy the United States. – W.E.B. DuBois
Baron, I'm just saying that all those types of things were written, embraced, repeated, and held as sacred by millions of people who really didn't live by them. I'm not trying to put anyone down, I'm just talking about the reality of some of the sacred writings and how there is room for it to mean a bit more to some people.
I hear ya, I just think listening to MLK say those words, he had a lot of respect for them.
__________________
"Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow." ~Aesop
Just to clarify, I am not saying that the races hold America at different levels of respect, I'm just saying that some of the traditional writings might not have quite the same sacredness given the frankly disingenuous nature of what was said verses what was lived and embraced.
I am a military brat, and my father would to this day die for the flag. I would fight to defend my country as well.
You're position has been well-articulated and I agree ... that what's often missing in these discussions ..... varying opinions and viewpoints saying the same thing but based on real experiences and a larger scope.
I hear ya, I just think listening to MLK say those words, he had a lot of respect for them.
Of course he did. The point is that there were undoubtedly many people in his audience that believed he actually had more respect for those words than some of the people who said them but did not live them.
__________________
There are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Chuck Norris lives in Houston.
Either the United States will destroy ignorance, or ignorance will destroy the United States. – W.E.B. DuBois
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