I was listening to Martin Luther King's speech the other morning on Imus in the Morning, which I have been doing for many years on MLK day (known in some circles as BG day, but that is for a different post) , as he is one of the few people who play the speech, in its entirety, every celebrated anniversary of the birthday. (Long before a particular grandstanding formerly fat rabblerouser decided to attack him as a racist to advance his own racist agenda, but again, that is for a separate post).
One of the thoughts that struck me as I listened to this 46 year old speech is that the idea of a black President could only have been a vague notion to Dr. King, and one that he probably did not think would actually happen. The fact that it did is surely a testament to how far this country has come as a nation, and to his role in bringing about the changing mindsets that would allow it.
Another thought that struck me was that the woman obviously sitting right in front of the mic making constant comments to every other line, as if this were a revival meeting ( I don't remember exactly, but things like right on, you tell em, etc.) probably had no idea that (a) every little word she said was heard, as everyone else was just listening, and (b) that the speech would be preserved for posterity as a landmark moment in American history.
Finally, I was struck by the fact that it took 45 years from the speech, and all the advances in race relations to have a black president elected, and in just 1 year, we are left to wonder as to why it had to be this one.
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5 comments:
great closer
Actually, I think that even further makes the "dream" real. This is a President who ran on a platform of change, with a record that did NOT fall in line with the way that most of the country thinks, and yet, even though he is black, they voted for him anyway.
So this country so wanted to distance itself from the policies of Bush, they were willing to elect a black man with political leanings that are so far to the left of the rest of the country.
Had this country elected (to quote Harry Reid): "A light skinned black man with no negro dialect" and very conservative views, it would be historic, but not like this. Obama is black AND liberal and still got elected.
Say what you want, but I think Dr. King SHOULD be proud.
FBB, the president did a masterful job, with the help and compplicity of the mainstream media, in hiding and downplaying his liberal leanings. In fact, his entire rise to the presidency was based on a speech in 2004, there are no clothes on this emperor.
I agree with your point that the American people would have elected a jackass to the position ( didn't they?) because they were fed up with Bush, but lets not absolve the twisted liberal media and their agenda in putting the country in the mess it is in now. I find the American voter, until hit over the head with taxes and unemployment, to be lazy, not interested in the character of or truth to candidates views until it is too late.
I don't think that anyone has reason to be proud at the election of the current president.
There are people out there who actually like and believe in what he is doing. They are idealists who do not let real world issues get in the way of their ideas of utopia.
I assure you, they are proud. How many actual liberals do you know? Not pseudo liberals, real, wealth distribution, quasi communist liberals.
They are out there.
Actually there are many REAL liberals out there who are shocked and embarrassed and upset at the mess Obama has made of things. Have you read anything written by Bob Herbert lately. It is surprising, but people really believed that Obama would change things. Not the way he is trying to but the way he said he would: Transparency in government. Not giving in to special interests (obviously not unions though), And helping the poor, with jobs and not just entitlements. His policies are actually doing none of that and many real liberals are noticing.
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