Comments on: Martin Luther King: We Are Not Interested in Being Integrated into This Value Structure

By: Art Sheppard

Art Sheppard — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 04:26:28 +0000

I think it’s commendable that Dr. Martin L. King’s life is being celebrated. I don’t think Dr. King repudiated capitalism. He saw it as a tool to advance people, but he saw how it could be abused by racist thinking. I think Dr. King is one of the greatest Americans since the founding of our country. I especially like the idea that his spiritual relevance is being spotlighted. He transformed our society from one permeated with racism to one in which most people regardless of their race or culture can participate.
I once met Dr. King when I was a teenager. A local supermarket chain refused to hire black teens as bag boys and I was one of the teenagers who was not allowed to work. Dr. King and his organization SCLC led a protest/picket campaign. Dr. King spoke at a local theatre one night and I got to meet him one on one! I’ll remember the experience and what he told me forever. I tell of this chance meeting with one of the greatest heroes in American culture, in my book, “Talking Penny.”

By: K. Clouden

K. Clouden — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 18:27:50 +0000

A book of truth. ‘The Value of Nothing’ is a book that should be read by every student of economics; especially, those who do not believe that free choices and true value is independent of the ideals of capitalism. I strongly believe that if everyone – excluding those that have already done so – could see the world through the eyes of Raj Patel, then we can all live in a better place.

Praise to Patel for his high-spirited work on matters affecting our world. He has continued on the path of righteousness for our sake ever since my first encounter with him at a conference at Humber College on the global food crisis.

By: morry

morry — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:02:58 +0000

Rich, Poor all are one, all can be educated if given the chance, all can be equal in honour, dignity and justice. Being brought up in a poor community, lack of self esteem, difficulties that only the poor can understand. Being told at school that one had potential and not believing. Working all hours in a factory and never seeing light of day. I had to change my life and began consciously to educate myself. Getting married and put into a stricture of no freedom to be me. Not supposed to do this or that and definitely not education. Uphill struggle to bring children up and then gaining another child when the partner finished working in the market because of an accident.

A partner turning into a dictator in the home because he no longer had a means to grow into being a good leader in the market place. Going to university in order to get a degree to make life better for my family because or the realisation that my partner would never do it now. Finally having to leave home because of stifling oppression, giving up my home rather than selling it because of a threat to burn it down rather than share it. Ending back in a council estate where I first began and even further down the ladder than then, with nothing but my dignity and honour intact. Now I find that I cannot get work because of age discrimination, that my degree counts for nothing except to make me more aware of the discriminations, hatreds, ideologies that are all out of time. So what does it seem that I, from a personal angle have to look forward to – I will tell you, the day I die.
From a group angle – hopefully in life and, out my contribution in a spiritual way to the furthering of Right Human Relations. A job would be nice though (smile).

Keep thinking from love, nurture it as I am learning, not easy when life is difficult, but that is perhaps the best challenge, not easy. Becoming a better person, soul is never easy is it. Keep it up no matter what. The very best of wishes to you, in love and light.

By: CS

CS — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:32:00 +0000

Nice write-up on King. Bayard Rustin was a close advisor to King and a great man in his own right. What’s interesting is how we study these people in school (people like King, Gandhi, Tolstoy, etc), but we (as a society) know so little about them. For example, Helen Keller is on the back of the new Alabama state quarter. It’s no secret that Alabama is a red state. And I am a great admirer of Helen Keller. What’s funny/sad is how most people don’t know:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_keller#Political_activities

Why could this be? How do we uphold important figures but know so little about them? So many people in history held similar progressive views. And these views are still controversial today– I can’t imagine what it must have been like 50+ years ago to hold such views. Ultimately, I guess that’s why Gandhi and King were assassinated. The Wikipedia section I linked says, “Socialist Party candidate Eugene V. Debs in each of his campaigns for the presidency.

Keller and her friend Mark Twain were both considered radicals at the beginning of the 20th century, and as a consequence, their political views have been forgotten or glossed over in popular perception.” When will we realize that so many of our heralded historical figures have held these “radical” views for a long time? I am not necessarily saying that just because famous and important people hold certain views that those views must be correct, but I don’t like how our history lessons conveniently omit things that were important to the very people we are trying to learn about…

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:51:31 +0000

I’m not surprised that there aren’t any comments. We like to remember King for his, “I Have a Dream” speech, and little else. Our country has made of King an empty icon, which bears little resemblance to the man that left us so long ago.

Thank you for this article. I hope it spreads.