From: ronf@panther3.panther.mot.com (Ron Feigen)
Subject: Re: Jack S Defends MLKing Slur (Was: ARF DEFENDS HIS HONOR)
Organization: Motorola Panther Project, Chandler, AZ
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 18:41:22 GMT

In article <BvI0J1.225@ocsmd.ocs.com> spencer@ocsmd.ocs.com (Spencer Hines) writes:
>Jack Schmidling (arf@ddsw1.mcs.com) wrote:
>: In article <1992Oct1.023319.2619@cs.brown.edu> dzk@cs.brown.edu (Danny Keren) writes:
>: >What I am wondering is if there is some hidden agenda here. Even if
>: >MLK *did* "sleep around", that doesn't make him a "bigot" and a
>: >"dirty old man" as Jack Schmidling (ARF) called him. 
>: 
>: I am not sure why you keep avoinding the point that he is supposed to be
>: a "man of god".  Most of the street signs with his name on it use the
>: title "rev".  What do you need to see the hypocracy of saying the "rev"
>: d
>: Dr King slept around?
>: 
>: 
>: 
>: Hell, we have seen
>: >Arfie lead a crusade for David Duke, who did far worse things than
>: >"sleep around". Kindof makes you wonder why Arfie is willing to
>: 
>: Perhaps you would like to point out the "far worse things" Duke has 
>: done.
>
>
>People seem to have forgotten what King actually *did*.  He was not
>a sort of generic black leader  who just went around inspiring people.
>
>In his day, the south and to some degree the north was committed to
>a legal system which regulated much of black life.  Many department
>stores, lunch counters, restaurants, and so on were off limits to
>blacks.  Libraries were generally closed to blacks.  Many other facilities
>had separate entries and waiting rooms, such as bus depots and train
>stations.  State colleges and universities would not admit blacks.
>Voting was curtailed through a system specifically designed to make it
>hard for blacks to register and vote.  Blacks literally had to sit on
>the backs of buses, and yield their seats if asked for white customers.
>Every town had many, many areas which prohibited blacks.
>
>Where federal laws prohibited this separation (such as, I believe, in
>interstate transportation) these laws were not inforced; indeed, they were
>actively prevented from taking effect by local authorities.
>
>King spent his life in a vigorous, relentless, and ultimately successful
>effort to overthrow this legal system.  The sit-ins in off-limit lunch
>counters, libraries, and bus stations were carefully thought challenges
>to restrictions which forced action on the opposition.  The bus boycotts
>were legal economic challenges to segregation.  He organized large numbers
>of people and was able to pull off organized civil actions over long
>periods of time, at great sacrifice to everyone involved, in the face
>of implacable and often illegal opposition.  
>
>He did this through a program of very actively waged nonviolence, which
>required incredible training and organization.
>
>It has been pointed out that in his personal life King did wrong.  This
>may well be true.  I have done a little study, and many of our founding
>fathers had personal weaknesses.  We do not honor them for what sins they
>avoided;  we honor them because they expanded freedom in America.
>
>King is a good representative of a great movement which greatly expanded
>freedom in America.  If that isn't the greatest gift which anyone can
>give to our country, what is?
>
>
>
>

Very nice post, really very nice.

>which greatly expanded
>freedom in America.  If that isn't the greatest gift which anyone can
>give to our country, what is?

What ARF would like is the freedom for the KKK and neo-nazis to segragate, kill,
torture, deport, ...  Blacks, Jews, and any other minority that they wish.

I guess one mans pleasure is anothers poison.


-- 

>
Ron Feigen
ronf@panther.mot.com
Newsgroups: talk.politics.misc