The greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation, fifty years ago.
Where’s your state-issued photo ID?
About The Author
BooMan
Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.
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What I want to know is, where is Booman and what have you done to him? This person posting these strong progressive messages is obviously an imposter.
Still trying to decide if I want to go up there today. I got up a lot earlier than I wanted to this morning, considering I didn’t go to sleep until 3:00.
Also, this was a good read:
The Socialists Who Made the March on Washington
I feel like more left-leaning magazines and publications are willing to embrace the socialist label and be more brave about defending it as of late.
I really, really love stories like that.
There is this myth about Martin Luther King, that has allowed the right in this country to pretend they support his message. I call it Teddy Bear Martin Luther King – an amiable fellow who traveled around the country giving speeches full of patriotic imagery and telling black people not to be violent. Republicans love Teddy Bear Martin Luther King.
I want the actual Martin Luther King back – the union organizer, the socialist, the founder of the first affirmative action program in American history. If the real Martin Luther King was alive, half the people proclaiming their love for him would be calling for his head, and they shouldn’t get away with expropriating his image for causes that would have made him sick.
Tell me about it. Back in Booman’s thread(s) about Zinn, I discussed how we didn’t even get a sanitized “Yeah we did bad stuff, but look!” What you call Teddy Bear MLK is exactly who we got in all of my history classes. In fact, until I read Zinn’s book, I had no idea that the Freedom Marches were…violent, and dangerous. Or rather, turned violent by thug police officers and their mobs. In my mind I was picturing what I know of protests from what I had seen with my own eyes, thinking they were just strolling along with placard signs and chanting.
Of course we never really got to “Eyes on the Prize” until Zinn’s book either.
Or how about Rosa Parks?
She was just a seamstress who didn’t want to get up because her feet were tired, doncha know.
Not a committed civil rights worker and officerholder in the NAACP local.
I used to love to drop that story on my middle school classes when I subbed. “The lesson is that change takes discipline, planning, and commitment. It doesn’t happen by accident.”
Also King would have been against affirmative action because the only other line of the speech I heard is “content of their character.”
And did you know that Lincoln was actually a hardcore conservative?
If Martin Luther KIng was so great, how come he only said one thing in his entire career?
Huh? Answer me that!
Great article. Glad you posted the link to it.
A bit of a shame how King’s children are putting a wall around this speech using copyright law: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/08/mlk-intellectual-property-problems
It becomes all about money when King’s words should be disseminated openly and to as many people as possible.
I was one of those millions. Too young to understand the full importance but just old enough to be thrilled by MLK Jr.’s speech and sensing that it was an historical moment.
As a boy, I was there 50 year ago near the steps as MLK spoke, and the memory is seared indelibly in my consciousness. Today I live in North Carolina and I attended many of the Moral Monday protests in Raleigh, the state capital, while the legislature was in session this year busily undoing more than 100 years of progress.
Every Moral Monday rally I attended literally brought me to tears, but for two reasons: sadness and outrage over the sick, un-American legislation that was being shoved through state government, but also because of the amazing coalition of those protesting, who are, ironically, even more united now than in 2008 when Obama took the state by a mere 14,000 votes.
The rally 50 years ago and the Moral Monday events were in FULL color, not black and white. This is the last gasp of that hateful America, although it will get worse before it finally goes away.
They hated King because he could use the King’s English to tell them all about themselves.
I just left rally area and it was awesome. I missed the speeches but just seeing all the variety of people marching around for justice gives you hope. The Obama Coalition was out in force.
I am here right now. Well at the Washington monument. Headed over to Lincoln now.
I too missed speeches and such. I took too long thinking “should I go or not”
Late to the thread so not sure if someone mention this, but Meet The Press will be re-airing the 1963 interview with Dr Martin Luther King Jr.
NBC Re-Airing Martin Luther King Jr. Interview