Ed Schultz spoke loud and proud at Al Sharpton’s ‘Reclaiming the Dream’ Rally in DC, today, speaking as a proud, successful product of middle class integrated education. With all the unseemly divisiveness and unexpectedly blatant racist rhetoric today in America, it was refreshing to see American leaders speak up for the dream of peace and social justice Martin Luther King Jr. always preached so eloquently.
Thousands gathered at Dunbar High School in Washington DC today, to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream Speech" at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., 47 years ago today. The Rev. Al Sharpton and other civil rights leaders in attendance gave moving speeches in tribute to MLK and the work still unfinished in America, to make King’s dream a reality.
Sharpton directly addressed states’ rights as incongruous with Dr. King’s teachings and instead focused on education, poverty, jobs and immigration reform. Sharpton told his rally it was important to keep King's dream alive and that despite progress more needs to be done. "Don't mistake progress for arrival," he said.
You may ask, what do I know about racism and bigotry in this country, not being a victim of racial discrimination myself. Well I know the difference between right and wrong and anyone who hates another simply because they may be different from themselves, is truly a sad excuse for a human being, let alone an American.
I voted for Obama, campaigning feverishly for the ‘Change’ America so desperately needs and took a lot of guff from those who told me I had no place in supporting a black candidate for president. I supported the best man for the job period, and personally did not care about anything else.
My family upbringing exposed me to bigotry, but I made my decision to embrace tolerance as a lifestyle when, within a matter of weeks, assassins’ bullets robbed America of two great humanitarian leaders: Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy in 1968. I was only 8 at the time, but felt both losses very deeply.
What I cannot understand is how America in the year 2010 could revert to such rampant racism, not seen so openly manifested in this country for decades. 47 years ago, MLK spoke of the Fierce Urgency of Now. In 2008 President Obama used those same words but in a different context, to describe what needs to be fixed in this country. Have we learned so little in nearly 50 years time that race should still divide Americans?
With Beck’s “I have a scheme” rally in DC not far from Sharpton’s gathering, it was widely speculated that there could be some disruptive or violent outbursts, should the Reclaiming the Dream attendees mingle with the Back Head crowd. Sharpton and the several thousand marching with him did cross paths with some of the crowds leaving Beck's rally. People wearing "Restoring Honor" and tea party T-shirts looked on as Sharpton's group chanted "reclaim the dream" and "MLK, MLK." Both sides were generally restrained, although there was some mutual taunting.
Sharpton’s crowd honored the great words of Martin Luther King Jr., when in his 1963 speech he said:
"In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force."
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The LAST thing that Sharpton and the gang want is to engage THE DREAM - to be judged by the content of their character. If that's the measurement, they lose.
ReplyDeleteI'll take Sharpton over Beck any day. At least Sharpton has character. Beck is a buffoon.
ReplyDeleteAl Sharpton a man of character? Give me a break. He is an attention seeking money grabbing hypocrite who doesn't give a stitch towards racial harmony because that would put him out of business. He committed fraud with Tawana Brawley and he incited violence in the Freddies Market incident that cost people their lives. I won't even bring up Crown Heights. Sharpton doesn't wait or pay attention to facts or the truth, instead he incites hatred and division. Why anyone gives this crook a platform is beyond me. He has knowingly destroyed innocent people's lives, and yet you call him a man of character, puh-leeze!!!
ReplyDeleteThis article makes no sense to me. The writer evidently feels that racism is rampant yet gives not examples. He also appears to support the idea that states rights should be limited or abolished. What most of you Americans forget is that the states rights were put in place as the check for a central government becoming too powerful. The problem is that when most men get any power they become corrupt. They only balance is a system that keeps the leaders from staying in office a long time and the ability to block and veto.
ReplyDeleteThousands attend Al's Rally my ass I was their and walked by there rally on my way and maybe 100 people showed for Al's dream a freaking 100 not thousands. Look at the video if they get any closer on their close ups we would be able to count the wrinkles in there faces. Now look at the mall and on the right under the trees where I sat was as full as the open fields on the left side of the pool. Stop hating and start helping in restoring America back to her place a judeo christian community that's for the people by the people.
ReplyDelete