Alkebulan
01-15-2003, 01:29 PM
since it is his bday, i thought i would post some of my thoughts.
f u engage n unbiased research n2 kings life u will encounter divergent acessments of the sum of his life. u will undoubtedly encounter some who choose 2 focus on his flaws or the imperfections that r ubiquitous thruout humanity. delve deeply enough & u may even discover & possibly b dissilusioned by writings that claim, as some do, that the overwhelming bulk of kings writing & speeches were plaugerized almost verbatum from other sources. according 2 1 source, mrs king was compiling a book of kings writing & speeches when that was initially proported. she launched an investigation n2 the matter & (according 2 the same source, not me) found sufficient substance n the claim 2 cease plans 4 her publication. sources closer 2 home claimed that while he held himself out as a bastion of moral fortitude he lacked the personal integrity 2 remain fathful 2 his wife. thats not all. o k, so king was human & like the rest of us, at times weak.
who amoung us can testify about the immeasurable pressures, constant survailance, temptations and frustrations inseparable from such a prominant leadership position & guarentee that we would hv performed better, or even as well? for the most part this individual suffered unrestricted derision, open hatred, insessent opposition (sometimes from supposedly friendly allies), & more than 1 assassination attempt, and life under a magnifying glass w a composure, grace & dignity few could match, let alone surpass. kings human failings do not need 2 b whitewashed or ignored any more than his accomplishments do. we must learn 2 accept all aspects of our leadership & embrace them n totality, recognizing the part of us n them & the part of them n us. it is, after all, his humanity that endears him 2 us most. as far as i m concerned, being brutally murdered n the prime of life wipes the transgression slate clean.
that said, & at the risk of being accused of blasphemy i confess, that 4 me at least, this holiday isn t really about king. as the 1 legal international holiday for black people, it is simply 2 large 4 any 1 man, even king. i choose 2 honor & remember the countless participants, the known & the many more unknown n our collective struggle thru the ages. black heroes & sheroes began w the dawn of time. there is no era of human history n which some black people did not achieve excellence. the struggle 4 equality & freedom began centuries b4 either malcolm or king. f all the participants were known, we could read about 1 each day & still not complete the task by the end of our lives. every group, nation or race has achieved some measure of greatness, at least n their opinion, at some point n their travel thru time.
today is set aside specifically 2 recognize ours.
this is just one, black mans opinion. whats urs?
hi thandi :wave:
f u engage n unbiased research n2 kings life u will encounter divergent acessments of the sum of his life. u will undoubtedly encounter some who choose 2 focus on his flaws or the imperfections that r ubiquitous thruout humanity. delve deeply enough & u may even discover & possibly b dissilusioned by writings that claim, as some do, that the overwhelming bulk of kings writing & speeches were plaugerized almost verbatum from other sources. according 2 1 source, mrs king was compiling a book of kings writing & speeches when that was initially proported. she launched an investigation n2 the matter & (according 2 the same source, not me) found sufficient substance n the claim 2 cease plans 4 her publication. sources closer 2 home claimed that while he held himself out as a bastion of moral fortitude he lacked the personal integrity 2 remain fathful 2 his wife. thats not all. o k, so king was human & like the rest of us, at times weak.
who amoung us can testify about the immeasurable pressures, constant survailance, temptations and frustrations inseparable from such a prominant leadership position & guarentee that we would hv performed better, or even as well? for the most part this individual suffered unrestricted derision, open hatred, insessent opposition (sometimes from supposedly friendly allies), & more than 1 assassination attempt, and life under a magnifying glass w a composure, grace & dignity few could match, let alone surpass. kings human failings do not need 2 b whitewashed or ignored any more than his accomplishments do. we must learn 2 accept all aspects of our leadership & embrace them n totality, recognizing the part of us n them & the part of them n us. it is, after all, his humanity that endears him 2 us most. as far as i m concerned, being brutally murdered n the prime of life wipes the transgression slate clean.
that said, & at the risk of being accused of blasphemy i confess, that 4 me at least, this holiday isn t really about king. as the 1 legal international holiday for black people, it is simply 2 large 4 any 1 man, even king. i choose 2 honor & remember the countless participants, the known & the many more unknown n our collective struggle thru the ages. black heroes & sheroes began w the dawn of time. there is no era of human history n which some black people did not achieve excellence. the struggle 4 equality & freedom began centuries b4 either malcolm or king. f all the participants were known, we could read about 1 each day & still not complete the task by the end of our lives. every group, nation or race has achieved some measure of greatness, at least n their opinion, at some point n their travel thru time.
today is set aside specifically 2 recognize ours.
this is just one, black mans opinion. whats urs?
hi thandi :wave: