Forty years ago today
I was just 13 months old when Dr. king was shot down outside his hotel room in Memphis. King certainly played a huge role in the 60’s civil rights movement. I can’t help but wonder where we’d be had he not been shot. Could he have helped mitigate white flight (and black flight too)? If so, our cities would not have been left with large sections of poor blacks. Schools would not be what they are today. We can only speculate.
One of King’s areas of passion had to do with economics and the poor — fighting to improve their plight. Today the task is daunting as there are so many poor and the good paying factory jobs are now helping the poor in China. How generous of us to export the jobs that might help our own citizens. But hey people want cheap products so the jobs go oversees while our country goes to hell. I just wish that Dr. King had been around these last 40 years to add his perspective to the discussion.
I think an argument could be made that if he hadn’t died, his character flaws would have overshadowed his message. If he had lived, he and his dream would be eventually dismissed or subverted. His martyrdom took the individual Dr. King out of the picture and gave society the ability and freedom to fulfill his dream.
I believe had Dr. King not been killed, there would still be very stubborn issues of inequity to contend with, but I also have to believe that we’d be much farther along. The resultant riots across the nation immediately following the asassination is clearly indicative of both the frustration of loss and desperate need of inspiring, trusted leadership that was embodied by King. He’d be 79 if still alive today.
If King was still alive we can bet he would have taken on gender and gay rights. His “character flaws” would have been overcame.
It’s interesting to hear the criticism of Rev. Wright, because Dr. King said many similar things. King said that the United States has committed more war crimes than any other nation. He also said that this country started with genocide. Rev. Wright was not the first to say such critical things of the United States. Both have such criticism because patriotism is loving your country enough to point out the truths of it’s shortcomings and inequalities. The United States cannot live up to it’s ideals if we ignore our history.
You must not be a patriot Doug.
I was a senior in high school and the news Dr. King’s death followed the Tet Offencive and preceded the death of RFK. I was very aware of issues of our time, since most young men my age would be called upon to serve in an unpopular war. Dr. King was definately facilitating slow, but steady and deliberate change. Dr. King is famous for Civil Rights efforts, but he also took stands on economic and global issues, including the war. The Vietnam war, much like Iraq was taking the lives of the underprivileged at a disportionate rate, while spending tax dollars at an alarming rate to fund the war, at the expense of the homefront. I firmly believe that the world would likely be a much better place if Dr. King were alive today. In case you did not recognize my name, I am very proud to say that Steve is my youngest brother.
…have you ever considered that free trade with countries like China has made “our citizens” (including the poor & low income) better off? Your last paragraph is a real turnoff. Dr. King was an intelligent guy, and I’m sure he would have a better understanding of the global economy paradigm than most. I hope that instead of harping on bygone days of American manufacturing we can start focusing on a world of new opportunity – opportunity that should fully embrace and incorporate our less priviliged citizens. Are you listening, Mr. Obama? As my plain speaking, factory working father of 30+ years father might say, Those jobs ain’t coming back, folks…no matter how much you complain. And they didn’t disappear because of faulty policy…they disappeared because this country was so successful.
“Ability” is probably the wrong word. We have the ability, but why in the world would we want to? Our production possibilities have expanded (at an amazing rate!). We no long have to spend our time making clothing, toys, and manufacturing plastic spoons when it can be done more cheaply overseas. We have the resources to train and educate our citizens to do more advanced work! This has all been fantastic for us. Consumption (in real per-capita terms) has doubled since 1970! What’s the single largest expenditure for low income American households in the last 20 years? Audio and visual entertainment (up over 119%!). Would the quality of life we (including low income) enjoy now be the same had we closed off the borders and said no more imports??? (Now, I’m completely open to a debate regarding having a television in your household actually makes your life better…but that’s another discussion). We as a country spent over $1 billion last year to change the ringer on our cell phones (A BILLION FREAKING DOLLARS!). It doesn’t seem to me that we’re all that bad off…
For all the talk of hope and future that my fellow liberal minded friends like to throw out there, they sure spend a lot of time harping on the past. It’s very annoying 🙂
“We have the ability, but why in the world would we want to?”
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oh, i don’t know … so that we’re not dependent on imports? so that we can fend for ourselves in a crisis? so that we have an appreciation for where all this crap comes from? so that we can make ethical decisions about what to buy, and not just buy stuff because it’s cheap?
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“We have the resources to train and educate our citizens to do more advanced work!”
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yeah, how’s that going for us? actually, manufacturing requirements have been a catalyst for some of the greatest advances in materials science. i’m sure many scientists would agree that manufacturing IS advanced work.
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you say that the “quality of life” debate is for another discussion, but your whole point rests on your interpretation of quality: that we are better off because we can buy more cheap stuff. so apparently it’s not for another discussion.
Greg, you are quite possibly one of stupidest people ever to leave comments in this blog. With people like you cheering for the diseased republicans, it’s no wonder our economy is where it is currently, no wonder that the state of the nation’s economy is as bad as it was the last time a republican president was in office for more than one term (early 1990s), and no wonder that 81% of Americans believe the country is way off on the wrong track. Get a clue, and then come back when you do.
You know, I’ve been a long time reader of Steve and a supporter of his endeavors (I’ve read this blog for at least two years), and I’m surprised to see such a nasty reaction to an opposing opinion. I would be happy to debate, but I’m not going to respond to insults. I expected more out of the type of people who read this blog. But, if that’s how the masses feel, then I’ll make my exit gracefully. Maybe I’ll get a clue and come back, as John W suggested.
Continued success to you Steve, and best of luck with your recovery 🙂
Greg,
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just want to say that i (and many of steve’s other readers, i’m sure) do NOT condone john w.’s “stupid” comment.
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john w.,
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c’mon. how is that appropriate? it certainly isn’t a convincing argument.
Adam, the statement wasn’t intended to be a convincing argument, as volumes of immediately accessible economic data and testimony from across the political spectrum already provide, but rather a blunt retort to Greg’s laughable assertion that a global economy sans the sort of moderation (import tariffs for leverage, for instance) and so-called free trade has been good for America. I can speak for myself, and certainly don’t need to you apologize for anything I’ve said nor attempt to distance yourself from my opinions. I don’t need you to condone what I say, and I believe if you read any of my comments on any other topic in this, or any other similar blog you’ll see that my thoughts are cogent and positions well-defended. If you’re surprised to see such a nasty reaction, perhaps you ought to read some of the comments in opposition to my own or the author of this very blog before you gasp in astonishment after reading what I’ve written. Perhaps you can respond in kind to some of those as well? I’ll offer my own apology to Greg for calling him a stupid person, as I have probably never met him and therefore can’t possibly know him. A poor choice of words doesn’t invalidate the stern nature of my comment regarding what Greg apparently believes about our economy.
Some things just make me very angry, but it’s no reason to say something abrasive or ‘stupid’ regarding someone who cares to comment in a very public forum such as Urban Review. My remarks were certainly not in the spirit of this particular post, and some poorly chosen words can take us off the topic of Dr. King. There is a documentary to air this evening (7p) on the History Channel called “King”, which is narrated by Tom Brokaw of NBC news. Getting back to the purpose of this thread, I would like to encourage all to watch if you can. Peace.
“But, if that’s how the masses feel, then I’ll make my exit gracefully.” – Greg
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“I can speak for myself, and certainly don’t need to you apologize for anything I’ve said nor attempt to distance yourself from my opinions.” – john w.
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well, it’s my choice whether or not i distance myself from your opinion. in any case, i just wanted to clarify that the “masses” don’t necessarily agree with name calling. that’s all.