Martin Luther King Jr on Love

Remembering MLK: In the Name of Love

Fifty years ago today, the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee by a racist shooter. Many cities burned, including Washington DC, in reaction to this murder.

One of the early anthems of the rock super-group U-2 is "Pride--In the Name of Love", which commemorated this horrible event as well as reinforcing the peaceful messages of the Reverend King. 

On the Attempted Sidelining of MLK's Legacy

Martin Luther King on Harmony

Bernice King on the Civil Rights Movement

Martin Luther King on Character

Martin Luther King,Jr. on Silence

Martin Luther King, Jr. on Love

Martin Luther King on Justice

Mark Ruffalo--An Avenger to Check White Privilege?

Mark Ruffalo, the actor who plays the Hulk in Avengers: The Age of Ultron (2015), is also a progressive voice on social media.  But instead of focusing on Climate Change as is his wont, Ruffalo chose to be an avenger of supposed white privilege.

Ruffalo commended an article from a liberal website and urged White America to stop talking about Martin Luther King Jr. and the Baltimore 'Riots'.  It would seem from Ruffalo's punctuation that he doubts that there was rioting in the Charm City.  Oh, so the millions of dollars in damage from looting and burning was all a chimera, just like Ruffalo's green screen cinematic heroics. 

More likely, Ruffalo considers the unrest part of the Baltimore Uprising, a liberal justification for malfeasance because of years of governmental oppression.  Well, Democrats have consistently ruled Baltimore since 1967. The Obama Administration has been in power for nearly 6 1/2 years. So the so called Baltimore Uprising is against Democrats, Obama-- of course not, it's the Republican Congress' fault per President Obama.

What is intriguing is Ruffalo's advocacy for intellectual apartheid. Ruffalo cautions "White America" not to quote Martin Luther King, Jr. about Baltimore.  So truth is acceptable based upon the pigmentation of the person.  Isn't that what Martin Luther King fought against?  Progressives have come a long way from diversity to right think fascism.  This is like the "Check Your White Privilege" at the door, in which even allies are silenced because they do not fit the proper pigeonhole.

 Historically, one could argue that Dr. King became more radicalized later in his life opposing the Vietnam War and planning for the Poor Peoples' Campaign in 1968 before he was assassinated. This weltanschaaung would be eager to associate MLK with supporting the economically undertrodden like West Baltimore. 

However, much of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy was about character and self discipline.  MLK's niece, Dr. Alveda King, stresses how those who were participating in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s needed to be inculcated with discipline to be non-violent no matter what provocations and to stand together for what is right. That sort of emphasis on character contradicts the politically correct conclusion that rioters are rightfully acting up because of economic or policing provocations. 

 It seems that liberals are trying to rewrite Dr. King's legacy to be only acceptable for selective quotations by the "proper people".  It is bad enough that the Estate of Dr. Martin Luther King employs copyright lawfare to control MLK's image and profit from his words.  Now, progressives want to restrict quoting MLK based on skin color or inconvenient truths. 

As someone who appreciates aphorisms, I come across pearls of wisdom from figures who have a complicated legacy.  But it is a mistake to dismiss the thought simply because the person is not perfect.  Public figures with whom I may not readily align myself can offer instances of insight. Should we apply a racial test to discern if we can agree?

As a conservative, I have learned to detach my feelings about an entertainer's opinions from their performance. My modest proposal is that Ruffalo apply a similar philosophy between wisdom and the source citing it. 

The Avengers: The Age of Ultron opens on May 1st.  It would seem that Mr. Ruffalo does not care if he offends "White People" just before opening weekend. 

Martin Luther King on Character

Larry Witmore on Voting Standards

  People may question if  they should take a a Comedy Central host seriously, such as Larry Witmore. But consider the accolades which Jon Stewart received for his "real fake news",  these strange sentiments should not be readily dismissed.

 So President Barack Obama gets a pass for the color of his skin for being first, but Dr. Ben Carson can not garner such unfailing support? Why not always embracing the maxim of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.:

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."

But that isn't funny. Neither are such strange voting standards.

Strange days are these-- most peculiar brother.

Martin Luther King on Hate

Mia Love on Her Election

In an era in which candidates campaign on identity politics and elites impose collective guilt, it is refreshing to hear from Congresswoman-elect Mia Love (R-UT 4th).  The day after her election, Ms. Love made the media rounds.   On CNN, Michaela Pereira asked Mia Love a loaded question as to why it took Republicans so long to elect a black woman.

Mia Love's answer echoed the wisdom of Martin Luther King, seeking to be judged by the content of her character, not the color of her skin.

Hank Aaron Strikes Out at GOP as Political Commentator

As Hank Aaron reflected upon America in the forty years since he surpassed  Babe Ruth's then record of  714 Home Runs, the former Braves slugger offered a provocative political answer.  The 80 year old slugger claimed that not much has changed in race relations since his 22 years in the Major Leagues, where he received some cruel correspondences as he chased the legendary mark of the Sultan of Swat.                                                                                                                           To underline his assertions, Aaron essentially asserted that Republicans have treated President Barack Obama like the KKK, except that they wear neckties and starched shirts rather than hoods.  USA Today summarized theses reflections with the headline: "40 Years Later, Hank Aaron's grace a beauty to behold."  It is dubious that those in the GOP smeared by this biased broadside of bigotry would agree with that assessment. 

Although Barry Bonds now holds the MLB  record of 769 Homers surpassing Aaron's mark of 755 in 2007, even Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig still consider Aaron the Home Run King.  Aaron's strength, skill, longevity and perseverance without steroids to pass Babe Ruth was commendable. It is a pity that he tarnishes his legacy with a polemic political philippic.

While public policy partisans may quibble about priorities or programs, no one is entitled to their own facts. It is rich irony that Hank Aaron compares the GOP to the KKK.  Perhaps he has forgotten that Jackie Robinson and Martin Luther King supported Republicans, because of what the Grand Old Party did to ensure Blacks freedom in the 1860s as well as their key role in enacting civil rights protections in the 1950s and 1960s and rejecting the Klan.

Of course, there is also the legacy of Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV), who had had actually been a Grand Kleagle in the KKK. Some dismiss this charge noting that Byrd was not in the KKK long enough to get his sheets broken in.  Yet Byrd was an ardent opponent of civil rights legislation in the Senate during the 1960s. 

Yet Hank Aaron has the audacity to imply that the GOP are doing the high tech lynching, to borrow a phrase from Democrats excoriating  President George H.W. Bush's nominee  Clarence Thomas during his Supreme Court confirmation hearings. 

In his time, Aaron was an outstanding slugger behind the plate.  But as contemporary political commentator, Hank "the Hammer"  strikes out badly.  May Aaron not continue to follow the lead of his fellow Georgian octogenarian, President Jimmy Carter, who makes outrageous opinionated outbursts which sully his legacy.

h/t: Eric Allie

Martin Luther King on Hate

Martin Luther King on Brotherhood

Martin Luther King on Freedom

Commemorating Martin Luther King's magnificent address at the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington, August 28, 1963.

Martin Luther King on Character

Martin Luther King on the Jews

Sadly, MLK's accurate observation in some contemporary circles is not a mark of shame but a badge of pride.