All Comments (6)

MLK was one and the most significant perhaps but not the only leader of the civil rights movement. The word "reverend" is a title that suggest a religious base. In his case he used churches as a rallying point but not limited to churches. We are discussing his role here at "On Faith" with the implication that religion, faith if you must was a significant, predominant even player in the civil rights movement. Scripture can be cited, "go fourth and teach all nations..." and "love thy neighbor as thyself" to mention a couple of places where "faith" would seem to inherently play a role.

There are no facts that I'm aware of to tell us to what extent but let us not lose sight of the known. At the same time Rev King was in any black segregated church preaching for integration at the white segregated churches they were preaching for segregation. In simple words, George Wallace was a righteous man just like Dr King. At the same time in Boston the Irish/Italian Catholics were in no mood to welcome Bcukwheat into their pool parlors.

At best religion is a mixed bag. Yes, some Jews saw the black civil rights movement as good for them and some didn't. What was said at synagogue I don't have a clue, however. In response to a Jewish friend making a remark about riots that were taking place around 1965 I simply said, "how far would Jews have gotten doing a non violent demonstration against Nazi oppression."

It takes time for social change to take hold. The children see black people everywhere doing everything and in positions of authority, teachers, coaches, police officers etc in their world. The notion of segregation is as real to them as the Romans, Julius Caesar bringing back British slaves. Of course that happened according to the history teacher but it's a chore to just learn it and no kid wants to get involved in it. And most that think about it at all realize that all races were slaves to somebody at some point in history -having salve ancestors is as unique as having ears.

And yes indeed, racism is still there in the "family values." Parents teach it to their children offering them up to the Devil who loves those that hate just like parents do by taking their children to church where Devil is worshiped, honored, adored, glorified and sacrificed to. At this point in time the two great enemies of race relations are family values and a continued outpouring of emotions over past events. Family values have a little in common with guns, can be used for both good and bad.

The only way to end racism is to end the noticing of races. The same is true for sexism but it will never happen otherwise the human race will cease to exist.

i think you missed the underlying critique garyd-

if mr elliot is aspiring to emulate shakespeare here- he failed-

his words ,
"subtle double stratagem of King. It was as if he said, in one breath, “Poor me, I’m a victim; watch out, here I come!” Some clips show both: striding boldly while wiping a smashed tomato off his face. He’s still striding boldly year by year, and as a martyr he’s a permanent victim."

are a tacky characterization-

“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

You have defined the surface Dr. Elliot. The assassination did more damage to race relations than probably any other single event since reconstruction.

Victoria you completely missed the point of Dr. Elliot's message. Think more in terms of Shakespeare's quote rather than some assault upon MLK.

Hi all!


G'night

your portrayal of reverend king as a showman contriving stage setups diminishes the very real and relevant oppression he challenged white america to face up to.

what can be gained by such belated backbiting?
this is an embarrassment