Forty years later

I very seldom disagree with the Chronicle but this is one time I will sadly do so....Martin Luther King was a good man with good ideas and intentions but the message of peace between the races has become a twisted pile of rubble in today's society. This nation has not, in my opinion mind you, become stronger but weaker. It is being torn to shreds internally morally and politically with an ever widening gulf between races that borders on wide-spread violence. Martin's message needs to be reborn at the grass roots. "I have a dream speech" must first come from a people wanting to live together. This freedom must come first from accepting God in one's life as Lord then living together to keep all people's, Americans, free from the evil of a terror that is showing no signs of weakness but like a cancer unchecked it grows stronger daily. Americans must come together to survive. The other nations of the world, nations that live only to tear down this United States, are watching and waiting for just the right moment to pounce. Yes Martin had a dream and so do I as should every other American out there; a dream for a stronger morally intact society.

Justus4 while I don't always appreciate what the Chonicle writes most time I support them. My objection was for the overall content not the way a sentence was written. They were saying that even though it was a tragedy, his death, some good came out of it. They, I do not believe, did not mean it in a derogatory manner. The very idea that you think this is a white man conspiracy is just downright silly and speaks volumes about you friend. Try and not make that sentence the framework of "white against black" save yourself for something a little bigger. Your reaching out on this one.......Take a breath now before you blow up....

Justus you are reading impaired. It doesn't say that at all. It is poorly written but your comment is a stretch. Ironically MLKs children never believed that James Earl Ray killed their father. His death was a catalyst for change that followed his death. MLK didn't fear death: "Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you." Man that blows me away. Truly one of my heroes. I think he was an "enlightened" individual who had conguered anger and hatred and developed true humanity. The savages will always try to kill that kind of light, because they have no humanity. Blessed be the peacemakers for they will be called children (sons) of God. MLK is a child of God and I think he would cry to see the anger and hatred many of his race still holds towards the white race. God hates to see that anger and hatred in any race.

Justus, you're such an idiot. The very clear point of the op/ed is that King's murderer tried to kill his movement by killing him, but the justice of King's cause was so evident and so powerful, that in killing him, they created a martyr. Many who had believed that racism "wasn't that bad" were convinced by King's murder that, no, some people really would rather see black people dead, than see them enjoy full equality. In other words, stupid, violent people saw their stupid, violent acts create an effect that was the opposite of what was intended. The fact that you cannot understand what the op/ed is saying does not make the writer a racist. I'm quite sure that you will "disagree" with my post, then mis-characterize what I have said, claim that I, too, have said something racist, and then tell me how I hate black people. At that point, I will only be able to say again, that the fact that you cannot understand a statement does not mean, per se, that that statement is racist. It's always possible that you are just stupid.

BTW...:"His death was terrible for U.S. because progress on Civil Rights was stopped." Are you KIDDING me? justus, you're just dumber than a box of dirt. Have you noticed who is the most likely person to become the next president of the United States? Hint: it's the black guy. Are you really going to stand by that statement, that the races are no more "equal" now than they were 40 years ago? Really?

If America doesn't practice racial equality why do so many races come here for freedom? Time to stop living in the past.

frankly,kings death is neither here nor there. it seems improvement in race relaions always means give money programs to minorities, and that started with the freedmen's bureau in 1863/1864 and hasn't let up.
where are the programs ,give aways,free lunches,free after school for us middle class whites, suporrting all this great attempt at racial harmony?wher'e our help??where are the programs and hand over fist give aways for the native american nations,who live in some of the most sqalid conditions in this country?
take a second and look at all the murders,robberies and crime committed by "violent,stupid" blacks...maybe,like the iconic christ-figure you make him out to be, just maybe mlk died for your people's sins....

H2S: "I believe total racial equality is still decades away. I was 17 when he was killed and think my generation and the ones before will never live long enough to see total racial equality." Hey, way to go with the positive thinking!! How were you planning on defining "racial equality"? Because if you mean equality of OPPORTUNITY, then I think we're pretty much there. In fact, Obama has had a bunch of opportunities that I never had, so maybe I should argue that fat white guys need some affirmative action? Oh, you mean equality of RESULT. I get it. You're the kind of person who thinks that if there's one poor person in the world, that person is poor because of a bunch of rich guys who WANT him to be poor, and who, in fact, wishes he would die. Ditto the race issue: if there's a black guy somewhere who's going down the wrong road and going to end up in prison or something, it's because white people WANT him to be on that road. Well, then, no, you're right. You'll never see "equality" if you define it that way. For your reading pleasure, here's a link to Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron." http://instruct.westvalley.edu/lafave/hb.html Great stuff...your utopia, right?

Kudos Johnsmith. Kurt Vonnegut is one of my favorite authors. Cat's cradle, Slaugherhouse-five, God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, are also excellent reading. I would mention Welcome to the MonkeyHouse but I'm afraid someone would say I'm implying some racial remark. Jeez. Lord help us.

H2S, isn't your goal in talking to someone, to let them know what you are thinking??? You said (as I quoted before), "I believe total racial equality is still decades away." I don't know what more anyone could want. As I told dingbat justus, the fact the the most likely next president of the U.S. is black should certainly indicate that equality of OPPORTUNITY has largely been achieved. The fact that Obama got a higher %age of the WHITE vote in GA than he did in NY should tell us something about the progress that the South has made. So, if equality of opportunity is not sufficient, I have to assume that you are lamenting a disparity of RESULT. Of course, if there is some other class of equality you are referring to, I'd be happy to hear what it is...

same crap