It's Martin Luther King Jr. Day today

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Stewart

Trad climber
Courtenay, B.C.
Topic Author's Original Post - Jan 19, 2015 - 08:10pm PT
This is a day set aside to commemorate a man who gave his life to improve living conditions for the disadvantaged. We should all be grateful to this courageous citizen.
Kalimon

Social climber
Ridgway, CO
Jan 19, 2015 - 08:25pm PT
An extremely intelligent man, well ahead of his time . . . his perceptions are still not realized, even to this day. Say what you will but his vision was of a still distant future in human evolution . . . extraordinary.
Stewart

Trad climber
Courtenay, B.C.
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 19, 2015 - 10:01pm PT
What made it a certainty that Martin Luther King Jr. was going to die was the simple fact that he advocated for a society that welcomed all things gentle and decent.

For some reason, that kind of talk enrages the most odious segment of the U.S. population.
nita

Social climber
chica de chico, I don't claim to be a daisy.
Jan 19, 2015 - 10:54pm PT
An extremely intelligent man, well ahead of his time . . . his perceptions are still not realized, even to this day.
I was just watching some youtube clips of Dr. King on the ~Mike Douglas show...Powerful, and very much ahead of his time...The interview is in three parts..
[Click to View YouTube Video]

" It's shameful that he had to die to be respected"
1929-1968....
Today.. i am also honoring Rosa Parks ...RIP..Number 7053.

Edit:..Jim, I don't think he ever claimed to be a saint.... but..He did claim to be a non- violent leader.

Risk

Mountain climber
Olympia, WA
Jan 19, 2015 - 11:44pm PT
. . . always said that an open measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and moments of convenience, but where he stands in moments of challenge and moments of controversy, and I would take this position even if I didn't have the majority of people agreeing with me now."

Thanks Nita for the link. Who would have ever thought at the time of this interview that MLK Jr. would rise to become one of the most respected of all American leaders; certainly the greatest of the 20th century.
couchmaster

climber
Jan 20, 2015 - 06:10am PT

Nice that it's now all politically correct to jump on the "MLK was the best thing since sliced white bread to ever come along OMG" train. However, I find it interesting that almost NO ONE (singing the platitudes) GIVES A SH#T about the trial the King family won that proved in court that Kings murder was a conspiracy with our government the most likely party responsible for planning and then executing the man.

It's a horrifying tale with huge implication for each and every American citizen: and it shouldn't be swept under the f*#king rug by simply blessing the man as a saint and ignoring the fact that an innocent douchbag was set up and convicted on false evidence while Kings real killers was never found. And few seem to give 2 microgiveashits about it either. So f*#k off with the "MLK had a halo bullsh#t. Find his killer and get back to me, otherwise the "OMG MLK was the most amazing thing ever" platitudes sound like just so much meaningless hollow bullsh#t.

Read this book and then lets talk about the man: http://www.amazon.com/Act-State-Execution-Martin-Luther/dp/1844672859/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421762840&sr=8-1&keywords=an+act+of+state

Snippit below copied from the book description:
"On April 4 1968, Martin Luther King was in Memphis supporting a workers’ strike. By nightfall, army snipers were in position, military officers were on a nearby roof with cameras, and Lloyd Jowers had been paid to remove the gun after the fatal shot was fired. When the dust had settled, King had been hit and a clean-up operation was set in motion-James Earl Ray was framed, the crime scene was destroyed, and witnesses were killed. William Pepper, attorney and friend of King, has conducted a thirty-year investigation into his assassination. In 1999, Loyd Jowers and other co-conspirators were brought to trial in a civil action suit on behalf of the King family. Seventy witnesses set out the details of a conspiracy that involved J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI, Richard Helms and the CIA, the military, Memphis police, and organized crime. The jury took an hour to find for the King family. In An Act of State, you finally have the truth before you-how the US government shut down a movement for social change by stopping its leader dead in his tracks."
Gary

Social climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
Jan 20, 2015 - 09:03am PT
We climb in Josh most every MLK weekend. On the ride home we listen to KPFK as they replay his speeches and lectures. Powerful stuff.

This following bit from This American Life's Kid Logic episode is down right gut wrenching. I need a hankie when I listen to it.

[Click to View YouTube Video]
zBrown

Ice climber
Brujò de la Playa
Jan 20, 2015 - 09:12am PT
It's impossilbe to ever get the truth of what happened, but MLK did cross LBJ (at least in LBJ's mind) on VietNam.

John M

climber
Jan 20, 2015 - 09:20am PT
your disgust is so noted couch master, but what exactly would you have us do before we are allowed to say nice things about MLK? Do we have to sweat blood or something? And why aren't you leading the way if this bothers you so much. I fully agree that something doesn't feel right about his death, but what is one supposed to do?
Stewart

Trad climber
Courtenay, B.C.
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 20, 2015 - 05:24pm PT
Couchmaster: Your comments are noted, and I'm with John M. You are far from the first to wonder how an inbred piece of white trash managed to pull off the assassination of such a great man and elude capture for so long.

Perhaps the answer to your tirade is reflected by the number of respondents to this post. Nowadays, few people care about the circumstances of his murder, and a dismayingly negligible percentage of citizens are interested in maintaining his legacy.

I have no idea how old you were in those days, but when news of his death came out, there were two responses from his supporters; namely incandescent rage... and heartbreak. As for the rest of "The Silent Majority" the reaction was mild surprise followed by complete indifference.

Oh, yeah - that's the first time anyone has called me politically correct. Those who know me would find this accusation to be hilarious.
LearningTrad

Trad climber
Jan 20, 2015 - 06:34pm PT
[Click to View YouTube Video]
Tobia

Social climber
Denial
Jan 29, 2015 - 02:27pm PT
political correctness? not sure that is applicable in this case.

Living in the "Deep South" I witnessed and will never forget the shock and dismay felt by black Americans after his assassination. There was just nothing but the look of hopelessness and despair. If there was local rioting, I have forgotten it; but what I won't forget is the total lack of concern or empathy for the people who he represented and gave his life for by the white folks, at least the majority, if not all that I had contact with.

The funeral procession; which involved moving Mr. King's coffin in an old mule drawn cotton wagon through the Sweet Auburn District in Atlanta had no soft overtones. It made a bold statement.


All these years later I still hear some people refer to MLK Day as James Earl Ray Day. Ignorance somehow has a strangle hold on some people for life.

The total truth of "who dunnit" will never be known. J.E. Ray could certainly have pulled it off, anyone with the will to do it could have because of the disinterest by local and federal authorities to provide adequate protection. No surprise there, at least I hope.

The same could be said for the assassination of Malcom X.

Bushman

Social climber
Elk Grove, California
Jan 18, 2016 - 06:32am PT
Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day,
an American assassinated by a racist for exercising his first amendment rights;
Freedom of speech, the right to peaceably assemble, and the right to petition the government for grievances. I remember when it happened. Not one of our finest hours. Sadly, IMO, things have not changed enough to many peoples benefit since that time. Too much hatred still being bred.

Read about in my book;
'Finding IMO'
pyro

Big Wall climber
Calabasas
Jan 18, 2016 - 08:07am PT
it's not MLK day it's time to remember the Northridge earthquake day!
nita

Social climber
chica de chico, I don't claim to be a daisy.
Jan 18, 2016 - 09:00am PT
*
[Click to View YouTube Video]
couchmaster

climber
Jan 18, 2016 - 09:20am PT
Stewart said:
"You are far from the first to wonder how an inbred piece of white trash managed to pull off the assassination of such a great man and elude capture for so long."
You didn't read a word I said did you?


Bushman said:
"Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day, an American assassinated by a racist"

Tim, again, the racist did not kill Martin Luther King. Were you aware that the trial brought forth sworn testimony from the Fire Captain (the firehouse had a view of the Lorraine Hotel where King was killed) that he let a US Army sniper team up on the firehouse roof? He checked their ID in fact before he let them in. One of the team members on the firehouse roof confessed that there were 2, 2 man US Army sniper teams in the area (they didn't take the shot). One was only taking photos.

It was proven at trial that the execution of King was a conspiracy involving many people (AND THE RACIST WAS NOT ONE OF THEM), some known some not, most likely elements of the US government did the deed. Re-read my post above. The .gov is trying to spin it otherwise, but the King family all agree that it wasn't a petty ass career criminal racist cracker that did the deed, he was only the fall guy who was falsely convicted of the crime. That's why the King family took it back to court after the conviction, because so many things didn't add up. They still don't.

The only eyewitness near the boardinghouse (vs those with King who didn't see much due to the distance) went to the Memphis police and told them what he saw and was abducted and tossed dead out a car later than evening. Doesn't add up.



Also see:
http://www.amazon.com/Orders-Kill-Behind-Murder-Martin/dp/1483047415

Or the other Pepper book, "An Act of State, the Execution of Martin Luther King".






And now, rude interruption of facts over, back to singing Kumbayah.






Larry Nelson

Social climber
Jan 18, 2016 - 01:20pm PT
Martin Luther King was a great man. I never get over how young he was.
I am not religious, but MLK delivered the true message of Christianity.

Civil Rights legislation was the most important act of the 60's and certainly the Baby Boomer's greatest legacy.
feralfae

Boulder climber
in the midst of a metaphysical mystery
Jan 18, 2016 - 01:42pm PT
Couchmaster,
Most minorities will simply nod at the truth of your words, while most of those who are complacent about our corrupt government will brush it off, for how could "their" benign government be involved in such an action, after all? To ignore evil does not banish it from existence, but perhaps such ignorance allows those who wish to exist there, floating comfortably on their clouds of illusion.

Thank you for speaking up. Hoover hated King passionately, and Hoover was a totally twisted person. Much of what you say applies to Sitting Bull and to other leaders as well. I am sorry we lost a man who shared a beautiful vision for our country when he could have brought us so much more of vision and leadership. He was a true leader, rising from the people because of his goodness. He was human: not a saint, not perfect, but a good man. May he rest in Peace.

feralfae
Stewart

Trad climber
Courtenay, B.C.
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 18, 2016 - 01:52pm PT
pyro: you really are a disgusting little rat.

The loss of lives during the quake was indeed a tragedy. However the horror, despair and rage that was associated with the murder of this great U.S. statesman touched the hearts of every human being on planet Earth who possessed a sense of decency.
Happiegrrrl2

Trad climber
Jan 18, 2016 - 02:57pm PT
Today I listened to "Fresh Air" with Terry interviewing a woman whose Great Great Great Grandfather wrote the first narrative by a slave, and self-published it in 1825.

It was a heart-wrenching, joyful, and touching interview. Very interesting and poignant. Worth taking some time for:

http://www.npr.org/2016/01/18/463164866/when-ancestry-search-led-to-escaped-slave-all-i-could-do-was-weep
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