Dr. MLK Jr.: Struggling Not To Lose Him

Too often, we are treated to a view of a romanticized version of Dr. King in order to fit the man and his struggle neatly within the prevailing political and economic power structures in a largely uncritical and non-threatening manner. Dr. King has been mass marketed as an accommodationist figure and this portrayal is now so pervasive in our schools, media, etc. that it threatens to neutralize and placate the most ambitious, daring and challenging of King's critique along with his struggle to confront and organize against not only racism, but economic exploitation and militarism-imperialism as well.

SleptOn.com offers "Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: Struggling Not To Lose Him" as a direct challenge (as he would have it) to the thoroughly pacified legacy of a man who likely would not even be invited to his own birthday celebrations had he been alive today.

Given what he stood, fought and died for during his last years, it's reasonable to assume that he wouldn't eagerly embrace opportunities to share a stage with the very folks he would have vigorously opposed.

King said the following:

[quote]With Selma and the voting rights bill one era of our struggle came to a close and a new era came into being. Now our struggle is for genuine equality, which means economic equality. For we know that it isnt enough to integrate lunch counters. What does it profit a man to be able to eat at an integrated lunch counter if he doesnt earn enough money to buy a hamburger and cup of coffee?[endquote]

Full 1967 speech (audio and text) at Riverside Church - http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkatimetobreaksilence.htm

Thanks to:
Glen Ford
Brian Jones
Robert Jensen
Jared Ball
Kymone Freeman
Adria Crutchfield
Gillian Moise

Category:

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[tazbabee]

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere"

I dont think enough people know about the REAL King, and I guess they made sure we never would.

I hate how his legacy is sugar coated and made "mainstream" and widely acceptable.

Adria is right, what he said then about the war was timeless, and very applicable to what is going on in the world today.

Another great SleptOn video, thanks for making people think.

[kimmarie801]

I don't compare anyone to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., not Lincoln or JFK or Obama; no one can hold a candle to Dr. MLK Jr., there has never been, nor will there ever be, another Dr. MLK Jr. he lives and will never die!

[MSAIBANY]

Thank you for enlightening others about the incomparable Dr. King. Yes, people want to water things down and make him more palatable. My one request from anyone who reads this is to show respect and remember that he was the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He was a man who helped end Jim Crow. He won the Noble Peace Prize. For this great man, please show your respect by using his title. If you can say Dr. Phil, Dr. Scholls, Dr. Oz, Dr. Seuss, and Dr. Pepper (a thing), then you can say Dr. King.

[drannie786]

He, like Mandela, was a genuine World Leader.

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.

Hat cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that"

He lived his message, and his message is needed now in America and in the world more than ever.

Dr Annie Coxon . London



[HillTribeman]

Martin Luther King jr is gods prophet for all humanity, regardless of faith origins and skin colors. he speaks the truth about humanities role in the universe. It took me thirty years to learn the truth from you tube

[kd1s]

So I wonder, was he killed because he threatened to overturn the apple cart of the economic system in the United States? If so, that elevates him from hero to deity in my book. We're starting to see people speaking out about economic injustice today too, but we need the critical mass to make it happen.

[911jbg]

So refreshing. A leader with moral conviction, courage, real values. Really knew his Bible too. Did not have a staff feeding him quotes off the internet.

[BloggerMusicMan]

The greatest American in the history. An incredibly moral and timeless figure whether he was speaking and working against racist Jim Crow laws or the abuse of defense spending of the federal government.

[47sr]

I am convinced that if we are to get on the right side of the world revolution, we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. We must rapidly begin the shift from a "thing-oriented" society to a "person-oriented" society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered.

[DanielDamascusKimery]

You people are a bunch of tools that don't know what a piece of shit he really was.Does anybody here have google?

[AliAbiBinTalib]

Ms. Crutchfield is TOO fine! Lord!

[suemorphplus2009]

No, but we can be proactive, and bring the case to the politicians' doors in D.C..  Send it to them regardless of party affiliation. If politicians knew that they were spotted and at risk of losing re-election, they wouldn't try much of the policies that they are. He would be happy to see us doing that, if we the people really go for the free-will charity and anti-war doctrines, and push the cause to Washington as he once was willing to do.