Today marks 40 years since the day Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.

I know some will take this opportunity to raise questions about his character but, let me be clear — regardless of what one might say about Dr. King, it’s takes extraordinary courage to keep going knowing that your life and the lives of your family were under constant threat.

I can only say thank you to a man that tried to leave the world a better place than he found it, which is much more than I can say for the current leadership of our country.

So, to remember Dr. King, I want to share with you the last speech he gave before he was murdered.

The audio is below.

 

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It’s a shame that so much of Dr. King’s life is presented without context. You would think that the last thing he ever did was to give the “I Have A Dream” speech. However, there were 5 more years to his life that no one discusses. It was a period where he transitioned from not just focusing on the civil rights of black people to looking at the impact of war and poverty on this nation (in fact, many believe it was his stance on Vietnam that ultimately cost him his life).

April 4th will mark the 40th year since his assassination and CNN profiled his last campaign. From what was contained in this article, it seems clear that King knew that he was embarking on a mission that could very well mean the end for him.

Many of us heard of the “Poor People’s Crusade.” It was King’s most revolutionary effort to get America to really focus on the issue of poverty in this country (sigh…just think of where we’d be today if Dr. King’s crusade had been allowed to bear fruit).

However, what is not shared often about King is the degree to which he believed in this effort. Just check out some of these passages from the article:

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To be honest, I usually skip watching the “State of the Black Union” because, I just don’t see very much substance there. However, I will say that there were some definite highlights this year. Dick Gregory was absolutely on fire and clearly generated a huge buzz with his comments, which ranged from the humorous to the absolutely profound. Al Sharpton also got big props for calling out the Clinton camp and its supporters for its race-baiting during this campaign season. I have a few clips from the speakers below.

Al Sharpton on Clinton Changing Rules and Comments

Michael Dyson on if Barack Obama Becomes President

Dick Gregory on Bill Clinton the “Black President”

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I’m about to make a terrible stereotype about some of my younger brothers and sisters. I see too many as totally disinterested in seeing themselves as part of a greater black family and instead choose to see themselves as individuals who just happen to be black. Many also take on a mentality of “as long as I’m okay, everything’s okay”. In other words, if things are good for me then, if they’re bad for someone else, it’s purely a shortcoming on their part.

Of course, as individuals, it is their prerogative. However,
at what cost does this come to black people as a whole?

At a recent Martin Luther King Day observance in Roxboro, NC, such questions were asked.

One comment really stuck out that indicates, to me, how artificial these distinctions that some folks draw really are. It was offered by Dr. Kenneth R. Hammond:

“The world tries to make us believe that our dreams are unworthy and the sneaky weapon that can do that is prosperity, which can make you forget your God, forsake your father’s house… make us cruel to each other … and make us forget the bridge that brought us over.

…

Don’t get hung up on this prosperity thing for if the truth be known, most of us are one check away from welfare”

Well put, indeed.

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Now, though I give props for Obama’s win in Iowa, I must keep things in perspective. I am no Obama fanboy. In fact, posts like this and this should indicate to people where I stand on Obama. Neither he nor any other candidate has earned my vote, yet.

You see, I like the idea of change. However, change can mean anything. Or, worse yet, it’s easy to talk of change but, I have heard so much lip service given to the notion that I have to question if a person is truly going to deliver on what they claim. With that being said, sometimes you have to look at a persons past actions/statements to determine if you can believe them. This applies for Obama or any other candidate but, since I am talking about Obama, specifically, I have to share with you an article that appeared last month on ZNet. It’s called, Obama Speaks: “Oh Great White Masters, You Just Haven’t Been Asked to Help America” and offers another view on the thoughts and actions of Barack Obama. It’s a good read and I encourage you to check it out.

As voters, it shouldn’t be just about who we find most electrifying or most electable. We also need to know if our interests will be represented.

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Okay, I’m about a day late getting this to you but, last night, NBC Nightly News began a week-long series on African-American women. In it, they are examining the progress of black women in terms of education and careers, familial relationships, politics and health.

This sounds like it could actually be a pleasant alternative to the media images of black people that are normally splashed across television screens. Therefore, I encourage you to check it out and give NBC your feedback on this coverage. Perhaps they can be inspired to be more inclusive in their coverage in the future.

At any rate, I think I’ll be checking it out.

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“We ask black people: it’s time. It’s time for us to come together. It’s time for us to rebuild a New Orleans, the one that should be a chocolate New Orleans. And I don’t care what people are saying Uptown or wherever they are. This city will be chocolate at the end of the day.”

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, Jan. 17, 2006

It’s been nearly 2 years since Ray Nagin made that declaration but, sadly, it seems that between Hurricane Katrina, broken levees, FEMA and President Bush’s broken promises, a black New Orleans is looking like a thing of the past.

Months back, we saw efforts to purge displaced black voters from New Orleans’s rolls. So, we knew what was at hand.

Now, another sign indicating the displacement of black people has appeared. For the first time in two decades, a majority-white city council has been elected.

I believe that this is just a foreshadowing of things to come. New Orleans, with its flaws, was still a vibrant and important piece of black Americana. Sadly, today, this appears to be washing away.

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…will Nas actually release an album titled “Ni**er” ?

If his record company does, it might cost them $84 million.

New York assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries (D–Fort Greene) has threatened to have the $84 million that the state has invested in Nas’ record label Universal and its parent company, Vivendi, withdrawn should the album be released with this title.

Jeffries, a former assistant general counsel at CBS and a lawyer at Viacom, says “(i)t is time for Nas and other hip-hop artists to clean up their act and stop flooding the airwaves with the N-word.”

After this, we should expect Jeffries to take similar actions against Dick Gregory for his book “Ni**er”, the estate of the late Richard Pryor for his comedy album “That Ni**er’s Crazy”, the blaxploitation flick “Boss Ni**er” and John Lennon’s estate for his LP “Woman Is The Ni**er Of The World”?

Sorry for the sarcasm but, the assemblyman seems not to care how many times a rapper actually says the word “ni**er” in one of his/her recordings, he just doesn’t want to see it on the cover.

Ni**a please!

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A few months back, I shared with you my outrage over the lineup changes at XM 169 “The Power”, which included the cancellation of one of my favorite shows, “Make it Plain” and the firing of its host, Mark Thompson. For all intents and purposes, during the week, this leaves me with, basically, one show that I care to listen to on XM.

Today, I read a bit of good news that has me considering a move, as well.

Sirius Satellite Radio has announced that it has added “Make it Plain” to its lineup. So, Mark Thompson will be back this fall:

SIRIUS Satellite Radio today announced that it has signed Mark Thompson, host of “Make it Plain,” to appear exclusively on SIRIUS. Thompson is a trailblazing African-American talk show pioneer, human rights visionary, and community leader, and he will contribute to SIRIUS’ powerful and diverse programming lineup.

Thompson’s “Make it Plain” launches this fall on SIRIUS. On “Make it Plain,” a daily 3-hour show, Thompson speaks passionately about political, social and economic issues from an African-American perspective, and welcomes listener call-in and a variety of guests.

“‘Make it Plain’ has served as a national talk forum and platform for politicians, newsmakers, and entertainers for many years, and SIRIUS is thrilled to enrich our diverse programming lineup with the addition of this respected show,” said Scott Greenstein, SIRIUS’ President, Entertainment and Sports. “We welcome Mark Thompson and his ability to empower listeners.”

“At this hour of increased anxiety amongst America’s diverse cultures, SIRIUS’ thoughtful decision to air ‘Make It Plain’ should leave no doubt about its commitment to informing and empowering all of its listeners,” said Mark Thompson. “‘Make It Plain’ will continue to expose the injustices in places like Jena (Louisiana), to celebrate our joys, and even break some fresh ground in no better home than one so impressively creative and unbound as SIRIUS Satellite Radio.”

I think I’ll be looking into what Sirius has to offer. I’ll keep you posted.

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