Faces By Alexis wrote:
As an Afro- Cuban woman living in America, I think the reason Martin Luther King, Jr. is so widley recognized and revered is because African Americans fought to make his presence recognized by everyone.  We demanded that his birthday be celebrated or at least acknowledged.  If other minorities as a whole were as passionate about social change, then those people you mentioned would probably be granted National Holidays as well. 

P.S.  How long do you really think African American's would allow a baseball team named the Mississippi Blackies to play?  My point exactly....

Chu wrote:
Excellent Point Alexia!!!

It is a good point.  Some others.

Most 'native amercians'/Indians do not even consider themselves that nor want to be called that.
They wish to be indentified with the nations that they are.   They are separate nations and separate peoples.

Noting us as one whole race is not wanted.   Noting the nations are a whole is wrong.
The Indian name is racist and ignorant.

Sure you will find those that agree.  You will always find some.   Part is ignorance, and part is the adaption/corruption due to the influence of the department of Indian affairs.

This is one of the most horrid agencies in the history of America.

The abuses of this government agency are tremendous and numerous over the long history of it.
Giving special privalages to those who would disavow there heritage is wrong.

Most tribes peoples I know are very liberal in there presentation.   Could care less, but there are limit points with all things.

The names of Redskins and the name of Indians and the logos are not welcome.
I could go on and on and on.   I know the history.
I am tired and ranting.

I think most people we labels Asians do not wish to labeled that.

But in the end this conversation relates to MLK in part.

It is time to have NO labels.   We are all human.
We are all equal.  Slightly different but the same inherently.

Time for these names to stop.

If you wish to read up on the subject then read,  "Trail of broken treaties".

David Moyle wrote:
centuries old back and forth with the English thing.

And that is were the name came from.

Most of the times,  the names we use were given by those that hate us,  those in power,  and those that seek to control us.

MHana wrote:

And that is were the name came from.

Interesting. Next time I meet an Irishman that lives in America and had nothing to do with fighting with England, I'll have to ask how they feel about that.

They probably won't care. Too drunk on beer.

BasementStudios wrote:

You see, perfect example of racism, their cause is more important and more serious than any other race.  Let's start that "Detroit Darkies" team someone mentioned with a mascot wearing "black face" and see how fast you lose control!!

Native americans are not the chic minority at the moment. People feel more easily comfortable with poking fun at a minority spread so thin. It's kind of disgusting really...but it's not as if the entirety of the country hasn't gone through this evolution before.

bencook2 wrote:
No one denys the torture and disgrace the Native Americans went through.  It should be remembered.  It should be studied.  But it should not be forced down my throat with a national holiday.

The whole ideas of celebrating heroes aside...
An act which involved the near genocide of an entire race should be shoved down people's throats. This goes beyond race. It reaches to the point of teaching people about something worth learning. About something important. For MLK, it was about unity. For native americans, it should be about learning the stupidity of our nation's past actions lest we repeat them.

David Moyle wrote:

Interesting. Next time I meet an Irishman that lives in America and had nothing to do with fighting with England, I'll have to ask how they feel about that.

They probably won't care. Too drunk on beer.

what is your point exactly?

MHana wrote:

what is your point exactly?

I prefer to make the statement and allow everyone to take their own point from it.

David Moyle wrote:

I prefer to make the statement and allow everyone to take their own point from it.

come on,  Why beat around the bush?  Come out with what you feel.

MHana wrote:

come on,  Why beat around the bush?  Come out with what you feel.

I don't really have any feelings on the subject one way or the other. I could care less if someone names their team "The Redneck, White-bread, Peckerwood Crackers" and makes a movie about how badly white boys play basketball and put's a white guy named Woody in it.

Just commenting.

David Moyle wrote:

I don't really have any feelings on the subject one way or the other. I could care less if someone names their team "The Redneck, White-bread, Peckerwood Crackers" and makes a movie about how badly white boys play basketball and put's a white guy named Woody in it.

Just commenting.

Well then no need to insult people in the process of making that comment.

MHana wrote:

Well then no need to insult people in the process of making that comment.

Ah, well, being I'm white, I thought it was ok. I mean, Black people do it all the time in rap lyrics to themselves, so I just assumed it was ok.

Sorry if I was wrong.

Vita Brevis wrote:
I was duck hunting with two friends who happen to be members of the Mohawk First Nation, as it is called in Canada. 
We shot a couple of birds, and one of them said "hey, looks like a drake oldsquaw...nice bird"
I told him that no, in fact it was now a "long-tailed duck", that the powers that be had changed the name so as not to offend native North Americans.
Both of them looked at me in disbelief.  Finally, one of them said "of all the shit we went through...and they change the name of a goddamned duck?"
Similarly, niger seed, a tiny seed beloved by bird feeders across North America, is now officially "nyjer seed" in most publications...lest anyone mispronounce it and cause offence. 
Maybe the word "moron" should be changed to "well meaning white individual"

Ah.

bencook2 wrote:
In a very real way Blacks did chose. 

Every time a AA shows up to hear Farakan...they choose.

Every time a AA shows up to here Jessi Jackson...they choose.

Every time a AA shows up to support Al Sharpton... they choose.

Every time you worry more about what is motivating what this white kid is saying instead of worrying about the content of what he is saying...you choose.

White people put Black people in their situation.  Black people will get themselves out of it.  It is not fair.  But it is true.

I could go on about how white people hold you down.  If you want I will do that. I don't mind.  We are the perpatrators of the "original sin".  And we contribute daily to the plight of the black community.  But, what does it serve?  Make us feel better?  There is nothing I nor any other white person can do to help AA other than what I am doing now.  Having a real conversation about real issues. 

The WORK will be done by the African American individual.  When someone stands up to Farakan, JJ, and the NAACP.  When someone can acknowlege the good the NAACP has done and then tell them they have turned into a racist/segragationalist organization with a flawed and dangerous agenda. 

Just to make sure you understand.  The reason I can't help is not because I am white.  It is because I am not black.  The reason you can't help me have better study habbits is not because you are you.  It is because you are not me.  That doesn't mean you don't know anything about studying.  It just means I have to do the work!

I do not agree that white people put black people in this situation. Blacks & Whites put black people in this situation, and that is well in the past, Blacks are allowing themselves to be kept down. Look at where they are teaching Ebonics, because it is easier to learn. That is pathetic stop being so lazy and yourself rise up. That will be what makes the change, when  blacks throw their hands up and say oh well, and stop blaming white people. How did the slave get to the "white man" black people.

Champion wrote:
What's interesting is that from all of what Martin Luther King Jr. stood for, equality and all, I sometimes wonder if he would want the day named after himself...

Much respect to ANYONE who stands publicly for something positive against all opposition. Those who try to make a major difference to aim many people in good directions. It's a shame to see people fighting with each other on a topic like this. Seems like so many have taken a negative approach to stating their points. So many "stand" for things without even knowing what they're really about.


"Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man's sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true."
- Martin Luther King Jr.

"Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love."
- Martin Luther King Jr.

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."
- Martin Luther King Jr.

"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools."
- Martin Luther King Jr.

The message: http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Ma … r_King_Jr.

Aesa wrote:
And again, I'm going to try to answer calmly.

I think people are accidentally trying to put words in my mouth.  I'm not saying that how you die affects how you are remembered.  However, in MLKs case, they certainly have been intertwined.  If he'd died peacfully in his sleep, I'm sure he would be just as remembered, but nobody would point out that he died peacefully.  Because he was shot, people cant help but point that out every time they talk about him, admittedly, including myself.  I apologize.

Aesa, don't stress. It was clear that you just wanted everyone to realize that MLK wasn't the ONLY great man out there. And most undrstood that.

How do you become less Africian American? I personally hate that word, and I will correct you if I hear you say it, especially if you say it to me. And I get why are you disrepecting your race? I listen to country, I like NASCAR, I couldn't be more un Africian but yet, I still get called an African American all the time, let me know how to be more American American.

At one time some black people didn't want to be called black, they wanted to be called African -american. A lot of white people will say African american because they're afraid that " black" will offend someone. Just like us Rednecks will call each other "son" or "boy", but won't say that to a black guy, because we're afraid he will take offense where none is given.

Jerica wrote:

I do not agree that white people put black people in this situation. Blacks & Whites put black people in this situation, and that is well in the past, Blacks are allowing themselves to be kept down. Look at where they are teaching Ebonics, because it is easier to learn. That is pathetic stop being so lazy and yourself rise up. That will be what makes the change, when  blacks throw their hands up and say oh well, and stop blaming white people. How did the slave get to the "white man" black people.

Point well taken.