As we celebrate the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. today, our nation’s capital is an armed camp in preparation to inaugurate new leadership for the United States of America. This year, perhaps more than any year in recent memory, we are reminded of how far we need to travel to achieve the goals Dr. King was fighting for when he was fatally shot on that balcony in Memphis in 1968, what with armed insurrection and a Confederate flag flying inside the Capitol Building showing up less than two weeks ago.
At the same time, two days from now, on January 20 — 100 years and five months since the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified on August 18, 1920, granting women the right to vote — California’s Kamala Harris will become the first woman, the first Black woman, and the first Asian-American to be sworn in as Vice President, the second highest office in the land.
And it is clear that she will be an active Vice President, not a figurehead who is sent to show up at events, when the president doesn’t have time to go.
So, yes, we have a long way still to travel and, at the same time, we’ve progressed significantly toward Dr. King’s dream — although on certain days the progress seems less than it does on other days.
Bottom line, in the the timeless and bittersweet words of Sam Cooke, A Change is Gonna Come.
Still, that change needs help and support from every one of us.
With that thought in mind, to honor of the work and life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, here are three versions of the song — written December of 1963, recorded in January, 1964 — which made Mr. Cooke immortal.
First, here’s Sam Cooke’s own version.
Aretha, of course, has several of her own indelible versions. This one is from 1967, when she was 25-years-old.
Finally, this newer performance by Jennifer Hudson, which occurred on the June 2019 evening when Denzel Washington was honored with the AFI Life Achievement Award. Hudson’s singing is its own emotional wonder, blowing the roof off as she tells us once more and unequivocally how far we’ve come and how far we still need to go.
Change is actually happening, day by day.
Editor’s note:
Dear “Brother from Another,”
Agreed. But, it’s still good to read your reminder of that fact.
C.
Interesting how Dr. MLK stated that, ” I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” Yet the [WLA edit] and the Lame Street Media have done the total opposite. Utilizing “identity politics” during the lead up to the election and the election itself.
The dream will be realized with the help of tech monopolies and the surveillance state. When they’re finished crushing all wrong thinkers, consolidate power, and have complete control of all speech only then can the dream be fully realized. Probably have to repeal a couple of amendments (the 1st and 2nd to be sure) and clear out the prisons of common criminals in order to fill them with political prisoners, but whatever it takes. I, for one, welcome our new overlords.
Of course I realize that in the near future some of dr. Kings history and words may be deemed “problematic”, at which time he may need to be unpersoned and his statues may need to toppled, but I’m sure we’ll adjust to that when the time comes.
Fat Rolman-
How did I know that one of the racist on this site would quote MLK? And, is usually the same quote. I suspect it happens every year. Is that correct Celeste?
Yes, Fat Rolman, MLK did not care about race or talk about race. He was looking, and we are still looking, to that day when people will not be judged by their color of their skin. Ask yourself where MLK would be now or what he would be saying. When he was alive, most white people did not care for him. Around the time of his death, polls showed that about 75% of American disapproved of MLK. The whites in the south sicced dogs on him and the ones in the north wanted to send him back to the south. Your daddy was no doubt in one those camps. At minimum, they considered him a rabble-rouser and trouble maker and at worst they wanted him dead. If you were around back then, you would be one of the cops siccing a German Sheppard on him.
I doubt you have read anything he wrote or said. We do not have to guess as he left an ample paper trail and long record of spoken word. Yet, you know only one sentence. Again, pick up a book instead of just picking up quotes from Fox or Parler. Put down the Turner Diaries and pick up something more serious.
Here is some more Martin for you:
1.”I am much more socialistic in my economic theory than capitalistic…capitalism has out-lived its usefulness.”
2.”We must see now that the evils of racism, economic exploitation and militarism are all tied together… you can’t really get rid of one without getting rid of the others… the whole structure of American life must be changed. America is a hypocritical nation and [we] must put [our] own house in order.”
3. “I knew that I could never again raise my voice against the violence of the oppressed in the ghettos without having first spoken clearly to the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today: my own government.”
4. “We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality…”
5. “The way that cops approach Black and brown men and women … stems from years of systemic racism. We need a whole new system…”
6. “It’s all right to tell a man to lift himself by his own bootstraps, but it is cruel jest to say to a bootless man that he ought to lift himself by his own bootstraps.”
I can go on, Fat Rolman. MLK was a socialist, believed the US was a warmonger, believed in income redistribution, believed in what is now called Universal Basic Income, believed there was systematic racism, believed in what we now call affirmative action, believed that police were racist, believed the death penalty was morally wrong, etc, etc. He basically believed in everything you abhor. You would revile him if he were here today. Just, like your hypocrite colleagues that claim to be Christians would crucify Jesus if he where here today.
I’m sure you will pull out the same quote next year.
CF, the boy coward raps about White cops constantly, sees them in his dreams but we’re the racists as we pick up the pieces of the carnage your people bring to the streets of this nation. What was just put out the other day, 7 shootings the first two weeks in L.A. last year and 59 this year. Whose getting shot clown, whose doing the shooting? White guys? Nope, the people you never say a word about, nothing.
Meanwhile, the good doctor, he was able to get his message out but really, with help. it was Malcom who gave it, and who saw the Left for what they really were and you and all that think like you are still working their fields and living under their thumb.
How’s it feel Little Man?
No, no, no, Fifi. You were doing fine and now this ham-handed [WLA edit] segue into Malcolm. It won’t do, Fifi. Please do not make me school you about Malcolm. I may learn a thing or two from you about Strom Thurman or David Duke or George Wallace or donuts, but not Malcolm. You can be like Fat Rolman and cherry pick words, but you miss the substance and impress no one with your superficial knowledge. The devil, my portly friends, can quote scripture for his purpose.
If Malcolm criticized the liberals, can you imagine what he said about your people and the police. I would provide you with a few quotes to give you an idea, but Celeste may censor me, finding them, as she has said in the past, and I paraphrase, overly anti-police. And, let us not go into what he said about white folk. Celeste may censor me for those as too anti-white. He was pretty hard about your people and your profession.
But, you are right about one thing. I do consider myself, in Malcolm’s words, a field negro. When the master’s house is on fire, I don’t pray for the master. I pray for some wind.
I dig this “cf”!!!
“When the master’s house is on fire, I don’t pray for the master. I pray for some wind”
Oh I know all about Malcom, Little Fella. You have no idea of my history, I admire people with nuts and Malcom, he had great big giant ones, which is why you get no play from me.
“The white Liberal differs from the white Conservative only in one way; the Liberal is more deceitful, more hypocritical, than the Conservative. Both want power, but the White Liberal is the one who has perfected the art of posing as the Negro’s friend and benefactor and by winning the friendship and support of the Negro, the White Liberal is able to use the Negro as a pawn or a weapon in this political football game, that is constantly raging, between the White Liberals and the White Conservatives. The American Negro is nothing, but a political football.”
– Malcom X (1963)
But they keep letting themselves get played, don’t they. Malcom would have supported Trump.
In cf looks like we have our own little Rachel Dolezal. Self described little jewish guy, but like Rachel he’s more authentic than the real thing, and he needs you to know it.
Fifi-
Malcolm would support Trump? Brother, you have lost it. Celeste is rolling her eyes as she reads that. You are taking the fun out of this. I am not even going to respond.
Madame Kong- Is Greg Jewish? You are paranoid, my friend. You should look Greg up and share your feelings. Did he hurt you in a bad place?
BTW, Madame Kong, just curious, but what do you think of Fifi’s statement about Malcolm would have supported Trump if he were alive? Or, how about this election theft conspiracy? Do you buy into that? Or, Obama being born in Kenya? I’m just wondering if you are as crazy as the other folks on this site.
“CF” is not a friend to “Black or Brown” people, he like most progressive far left types only use them as a polarizing tool for their liberal progressive agenda. I bet CF does not live in an ehnicallly diverse neighborhood or really know a Black person. It’s evident by how he so easily usese disrespectful and offensive terms when referring to Black people, which the cite editor never edits? A person who was really in tune or cared would never use the language CF uses ever to support an argument if he really understood or emphathized with minorities. No, CF is like most liberals, “politicially correct, condescending, hypocritical, sublime racist”, the worst kind. Just like middle class White ANTIFA terrorist telling Black people what’s best for them as they took advantage of the tragedy and burned, killed and destroyed neighborhoods they don’t live in.
By the way, after all the protests last year is the plight of Black people any better in Chicago, Minneapolis, Baltimore, Los Angeles, New York or any other major city than before? What was the outcry me, besides destroying cities and list jobs? I guess it was successful in manipulating the outcome of the election? The ends, justified the means? Or did, certain people financially profit off the destruction death and chaos created?
Cf, Rachel if you prefer, just going by what you have already admitted to in earlier comments. You said you were of Jewish and Hispanic decent, sorry but you shouldn’t have admitted that if you wanted to go full Rachel Dolezal and do the pretend black guy thing.
As far as what you imagine malcom x would or not do who cares? But you know Louis Farrakhan said God had sent Trump so why not malcom too?
I admit I don’t really care much about malcom x but he did have some interesting ideas on Israel and Zionism, you may want to check that out before you go full talcum x. (A moniker often used to describe another fake black guy, Shaun king)