Given my previous post, I found this clip particularly appropriate for what I was trying to convey, especially seeing what’s going on in the current presidential race.

Tim Wise has been on the forefront of dealing with the issues of race and racism for quite some time, now. Here’s an excerpt he’s given on white privilege and the roots of racism in America. He clearly breaks down down something that I have shared with my circle of friends for years — race, as an issue, is really a facade used to tell white people that, if you have nothing else, you have white skin privilege and that makes you superior. However, in the end, those conveying that notion are using it to preserve and expand their own power, influence, wealth, etc.

The video is below:

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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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Today is the day we set aside to commemorate the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was struck down by an assassin’s bullet nearly 40 years ago. Despite what some may want to say, Dr. King’s life and actions have had a profound effect on what direction America has taken in regards to the fight for racial equality. Though there is still much work to be done, had it not been for Dr. King, as well as those who passed the torch to him and those who carry on his mantle, who knows how much worse America would have been. So, today, I personally want to thank Dr. King for not only his inspirational words but, also, his actions and, ultimately, his sacrifice.

Today, I share with you the speech he gave the night before he was killed. It is as profound, and relevant today, as it was in 1968. I can only hope that the words inspire you as much as they do me.

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I always find it interesting when a white guy wants to tell black folks that slavery really wasn’t that bad. Understand, this is not a man whose family history was virtually lost forever or whose grandparents had to live through Jim Crow and, now, his offspring, James Crow, Esq.

This time, the offender is right-wing hack, Michael Medved. In his latest piece at Townhall.com, he wants to tell us how wrong we are on our perception of what slavery in the U.S. was and how the millions who died in the middle passage weren’t victims of genocide — instead, they were, basically, the unfortunate victims who died when slavetraders were moving product between shores. Also, America is really not to be blamed for its role in slavery but should be commended for its “rapid” abolition of slavery (despite slavery going on for nearly two and half centuries in this country).

I suggest you read for yourself. As for me, I’m not shocked, suprised or amazed, considering the source.

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