From: dem@engin.umich.edu (Darryle E Merlette)
Subject: Re: MLK & U-2 & Disposable Heroes of Hip.
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 92 15:24:28 EDT
Organization: University of Michigan Engineering, Ann Arbor

In article <1992Sep11.141842.58822@cc.usu.edu>
slzm9@cc.usu.edu (Zip) writes:

>Ok, I'm gonna try real hard to reign this in and not let it become
>a flame bath.  Zip

It doesn't seem like you tried hard enough. But I'll take the bait
just once. I don't think you read my posting at all (or perhaps
you read without thinking, which is akin to eating without digesting).

I wrote:
>> The "problem" with MLK's message is that it has been co-opted by the
>> white establishment as the paragon of what "the Black struggle" should
>> be. 

Zip wrote:
>  Take your "conspiracy" filled mind and put it to use. Do you think the
>"White establishment" works in concert? Yes you probably do, but they
>do not it is just 100,000 real rich white folks trying to get richer
>and they don't care where the money comes from. 

I don't recall saying anything to the contrary.

>So set up your
>phantasmal "conspriratorial" oppressors if you want but leave me out of
>it ok. 

I did. *You* put yourself in it by replying blindly.

>The problem is and always has been that people see it in different
>ways. There are people that think that unless we change this system
>non-violently we will only replace the powerful with new individuals.
>Now that would probably be just fine with you wouldn't it Darryle you
>probably wouldn't mind kicking some white ass for a while would you?

Actually, I'm quite the pacifist. Stop putting words into my mouth
and projecting your fears into my desires.

>> There's nothing "wrong" per se with the message, just how it is
>> being used by the very institutions it was meant to fight. MLK's message
>> of non-violent struggle is being super-hyped as *the* correct way to
>> affect change while the philosophies of the many Turner's, Hampton's,
>> and X's throughout history are labelled as bad, violent, and counter-
>> productive. 

>I don't care what the skin color is of the person that says "Violence
>will not achieve the goal of equality of races." I agree with them. You,
>are making MLK out to be a hero for saying this and white people
>that say it to be conspriratorial oppressors. That's racism. Think
>about it.

Oh boy... here we go again...

>> MLK's message is fine for those who subscribe to conventional
>> Christian ideology and thus believe that violence (even in self defense)
>> will prevent one from attaining everlasting life in some heaven. 

>  I am no Christian and I agree that providing violent change will
>only provide our children with the same. And the change will be violent
>until someone/some people have the courage to change it non-violently.
>Do you have that kind of courage?

My ancestors did and thanks to them I know better.

>> It is no
>> accident that Malcolm X, as a Muslim, couldn't accept MLK's Christian-
>> inspired vision. Perhaps the white establishment's endorsement of MLK's
>> "Christ-like" message is a result of it being more familiar than Malcolm's
>> Islam-inspired message. Or perhaps it is a result of something less
>> subconscious: in the end, both Malcolm and MLK met the very same *violent*
>> fate; it didn't really matter that one had preached unconditional non-
>> violence and the other had preached conditional violence. 
>
>  You have made the most important point yourself. It doesn't matter
>which method of change they professed they both met violent ends. Why?
>because this nation knows nothing else but violent change. When can
>we stop the killing and start loving each other? 

Some people have shown that they are incapable of love. They prefer to
enslave, subjugate, and exterminate whole populations of people rather
than show loving, humanistic behavior towards them.

>Has anybody really
>heard the message of love that MLK spoke or was he just one more
>useless prophet thrown against the wall by the equal rights movement?
>For the dream to become reality you must stop killing. It's simple
>to say but hard to do.

The majority of those who have heard and *internalized* MLK's message
are no longer with us. You see, you can't decide to love your oppressor
when your oppressor doesn't love you and still expect to survive.

>> But in the eyes
>> of those in power, the ride is a bit more comfortable with someone who
>> preaches non-violence because at least that person is guaranteed not
>> to shoot back! As for the relatively powerless (but nonetheless privileged)
>> masses of whites (like the ones at the U2 concert who found it easy to
>> cheer MLK), their "participation" serves as a transient drug that momentarily
>> assuages feelings of guilt.
>> 
>> 	Darryle
>
>   Sure Darryle there are some people there that have not heard the words
>of Martin Luther King but only assuage their guilt by cheering him. But
>there are others truthfully trying to change the culture in which they
>live ... one life at a time. Would you dam them with all the others
>because you can't accept the help of white people? If you wouldn't then
>don't be so quick to judge. 

I don't damn anyone who's *truly* trying to help. But its too easy for
whites to cheer an MLK soundbite (or do some other superficial show
of support) and then go home to all-white, exclusive neighborhoods
and continue to reap the privileges bestowed upon them by racist
institutions without uttering a peep.

>And remember this, for whatever reason those
>people are cheering, many of them will be voting in November and I'll
>bet they don't vote republican.

A non-Republican vote doesn't necessarily imply support of Black issues.

>> 
>> "If King loses, worse leaders are going to take his place. Look at
>> the Black Muslims." -- Robert Kennedy, 5/14/63
>> 
>> "If the white people realize what the alternative is, perhaps they
>> will be more willing to hear Dr. King" -- Malcolm X, 2/3/65
>>

>Peace, but not without justice,

>Zip
	Darryle

"To be honest to us, you have to hurt the feelings of those
 who've been dishonest to us." -- Dr. John Henrik Clarke
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african.american