MLK III: Father's Dream Still Unfulfilled

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

http://www.theroot.com/views/mlk-iii-fathers-dream-still-unfulfilled

On Aug. 28, 2008, 45 years to the day of Martin Luther King Jr.'s iconic "I Have a Dream" speech, the slain leader's eldest son, Martin Luther King III, spoke at the Democratic National Convention and celebrated the ascendance of then-presidential candidate Barack Obama. King said that his father would be "proud of Barack Obama ... and proud of the America that will elect him."

But the renowned human rights activist prophetically warned that his father's dream was incomplete because of issues like endemic poverty and disparate equity in the American judicial system. King reiterated these sentiments last weekend during his address at a commemoration celebrating the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington: "The task is not done. The journey is not complete. We can and must do more."

[Darnell 8,478]

I don't want to stir any sh|t about stuff,

but ...

Here's what I had hoped would happen from Affirmative Action:

1. lots of black people going to college where they could not, before.

2. lots of black people having good jobs with stellar wages and

3. lots of black people raising children in such a way that the children would not be in the jail system.

I always thought - the outcome of affirmation action - would be a new group of black people that ran with the opportunities given to them / allowed to them via affirmative action, and GO UP the socio-economic ladder in one to two generations.

Sidestep gangstas, rap music, and crack cocaine, with affirmative action closed.

Now what?

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

I don't want to stir any sh|t about stuff,

but ...

Here's what I had hoped would happen from Affirmative Action:

1. lots of black people going to college where they could not, before.

2. lots of black people having good jobs with stellar wages and

3. lots of black people raising children in such a way that the children would not be in the jail system.

I always thought - the outcome of affirmation action - would be a new group of black people that ran with the opportunities given to them / allowed to them via affirmative action, and GO UP the socio-economic ladder in one to two generations.

Sidestep gangstas, rap music, and crack cocaine, with affirmative action closed.

Now what?

Here's the issue with that statement. Opportunitites are worthless if you aren't prepared to handle them.

[Darnell 8,478]

Ya, there's that, Marvin. Affirmative Action is mostly closed, now, with the exception of federal contracts.

Edited August 28, 2013 by Darnell

[ready4ONE 5,400]

A legitimate question would be why so many Blacks aren't prepared for opportunities and success.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

A legitimate question would be why so many Blacks aren't prepared for opportunities and success.

Well, think about it. It's not like slavery and segregation ended and all doors opened up to blacks. 400 years of slavery and 60 years of Jim Crow don't go away in a matter of minutes. We've had poverty, no education, drugs so deeply ingrained into the black culture, they've pretty much let it destroy our own people. This is why there are no stats out there saying AA helps blacks or other minorities in vast numbers. You have black people that defy these odds and become successful in their own right, but most folks don't want to hear about those stories. They only care when it's a chance to make snarky remarks about us as a whole.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

Ya, there's that, Marvin. Affirmative Action is mostly closed, now, with the exception of federal contracts.

If you got some kid from the hood whose been ducking bullets all his life and dealing with drug and gang violence 24/7, giving him admission to Harvard might be noble, but if he isn't prepared for the shift in lifestyle, you've set him up for failure.

[Darnell 8,478]

I grew up with affirmative action, 2nd generation. None of the black people in those communities were dodging bullets when I was growing up. i'm not an isolated case, either. No, I'm not arguing, but

in the 70s, AA was in full swing and there wasn't that much opportunity to use a pistol.

If you got some kid from the hood whose been ducking bullets all his life and dealing with drug and gang violence 24/7, giving him admission to Harvard might be noble, but if he isn't prepared for the shift in lifestyle, you've set him up for failure.

If you mean this decade, I'll agree with you.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

I grew up with affirmative action, 2nd generation. None of the black people in those communities were dodging bullets when I was growing up. i'm not an isolated case, either. No, I'm not arguing, but

in the 70s, AA was in full swing and there wasn't that much opportunity to use a pistol.

If you mean this decade, I'll agree with you.

I was there too. I didn't hear anything about AA back then. I think a lot of the older generation like Clarence Thomas didn't like it because they didn't want folks to think they needed help to get a job. But back then things were no were near this bad.

[Darnell 8,478]

I watched c-span for 5 hours on Saturday morning - some big event - but - the speakers were given 2 minutes only. go over 2 minutes? music played, yer microphone cut, and you had to walk off the podium.

Edited August 28, 2013 by Darnell

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

I watched c-span for 5 hours on Saturday morning - some big event - but - the speakers were given 2 minutes only. go over 2 minutes? music played, yer microphone cut, and you had to walk off the podium.

Nothing new to see here.

[Darnell 8,478]

It was new to me...

----

There's a rumour that The Conciliator (pbuh) was or is in D.C. recently/at the moment - so we should try to engage him more as the boots on the ground, roving reporter..

----

I caught a few hours of tv news late this afternoon - Comments from 'conservative' talk show hosts were bandied about - I think the issue is more polarized NOW than in my days as a youth. It's really sad. IMO, no end in sight, as localized cell-pools aren't going to get cleaned out or the family units helped (by anyone).

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

Well, think about it. It's not like slavery and segregation ended and all doors opened up to blacks. 400 years of slavery and 60 years of Jim Crow don't go away in a matter of minutes. We've had poverty, no education, drugs so deeply ingrained into the black culture, they've pretty much let it destroy our own people. This is why there are no stats out there saying AA helps blacks or other minorities in vast numbers. You have black people that defy these odds and become successful in their own right, but most folks don't want to hear about those stories. They only care when it's a chance to make snarky remarks about us as a whole.

Then why did life in the black community go into the crapper in so many places, as more and more gains in freedom and opportunity were made ? Why has the illegitimacy rate topped 80%, when it use to be relatively low, why has crime in the black community and drop out rates exploded why are so many blacks killing blacks ?

Blacks have more freedom and opportunity in this country than ever before, yet the black community is imploding on itself at an ever growing rate .

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

It was new to me...

----

There's a rumour that The Conciliator (pbuh) was or is in D.C. recently/at the moment - so we should try to engage him more as the boots on the ground, roving reporter..

----

I caught a few hours of tv news late this afternoon - Comments from 'conservative' talk show hosts were bandied about - I think the issue is more polarized NOW than in my days as a youth. It's really sad. IMO, no end in sight, as localized cell-pools aren't going to get cleaned out or the family units helped (by anyone).

I am in DC at this moment. I am the tip of the spear in the fight for justice

[Danno 1,228]

If you got some kid from the hood whose been ducking bullets all his life and dealing with drug and gang violence 24/7, giving him admission to Harvard might be noble, but if he isn't prepared for the shift in lifestyle, you've set him up for failure.

Admission to Harvard?

I would call graduating from High school a good start, in many areas it is below 50% for black males, too often the ones who do get a diploma are at an 8th grade comprehension.

Couple that with much higher arrests records and there is no need to wonder why the unemployment rate is so much higher for Blacks.

But lets try to be positive shall we?

Marv, highlight for me a few Black communities that are doing it right, communities where kids are performing at least on the national average and the social markers are on par with areas outside their community....... surely in places which never knew Jim Crow or Slavery there must be areas of light?

Surely in places where the people sent their sons to die to free Slaves, we can find a flourishing Black community?

Tell me about them, I need more than 50 year old speeches (stirring as they were).

Does anyone know where the idea for this monument originated, I have never seen him in photo or film stand with arms folded in such manner, not to mention the face does not even look like his.

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Something like that would have been much more suited to his legacy.