Martin Luther King, Jr.: A Stark Reminder of Today's Mediocrity

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day…

A day when millions remember and honor the memory and legacy of the foremost civil rights leader of a generation who was tragically slain in 1968.

King was a visionary who was brilliant, affective, and foremost, courageous. He also possessed perhaps the two most important gifts of a leader of men and causes…

An ability to inspire through sensible yet moving oratory, and more importantly, the serendipity of marching along the timeline of history at just the right moment.

King coming along at the time he did was his most important ally because…

If MLK were alive today and railing against the injustices in the world, he would be eaten alive, by talk radio, tabloids, and the schadenfreude driven 24/7 “news” cycle of speculation and innuendo of cable TV.

Martin Luther King in spite of all his incredible command of what is good and what is just, was a man. A man full of flaws like all of us.

And…

Many of King’s human weaknesses were, by the girdle donning, high heel wearing J. Edgar Hoover, (and RFK for that matter) noted, embellished, and oft times imagined.

Did the married, minister of God enjoy the company of white women? Maybe.

Was he, the civil rights movement, and the SCLC associated with the Communist Party. Not really.

Because King was friends and was mentored by another black civil rights activist, Bayard Rustin, who was a known homosexual make King gay? Hardly…see above.

As King was a fan of the non-violent movement propagated by Gandhi, an Indian, anti-American? Fuck no.

Yet today?

All of this “information” would be perused, skewed, and then taken as fact and spray painted like graffiti on the walls of a shut down factory in Youngstown, Elkhart, or Detroit upon our radios and TV’s.

And my friends…As MLK helped a people and a nation to see and actualize his dream, we as a nation have turned that dream on its head and turned it to some degree, into a nightmare.

If MLK were alive today he would be vilified for “communist ties”, “hanging out with homosexuals”, and being an un-American peacenik by today’s angry, ratings at all costs media, and the thirst for such from a large portion of Americans.

That is indeed why today, we have no great leadership in this country. Why would anyone who has the ability and desire to lead this nation, suffer the scrutiny of those who seek to tear greatness down?

I don’t care if a person was late on their taxes, smoked pot, had a marital indiscretion, or peed in a public pool while drunk if he or she is willing and able to lead this country out of its debt and malaise.

The great ones of today have no desire to lead because it would mean that they would be under the microscope of a media and a people who care more about who they fucked rather than what they can do.

We are stuck with vanilla. We are stuck with mediocrity. We are stuck with the here and now of, “Oh My God…he or she did what?”

I want inspiration from someone, no matter if he or she has human imperfections.

Where’s that inspiration going to come from? John Boehner? Mitch McConnell? Nancy Pelosi? Harry Reid?...Sarah Palin!!?

Ha…I don’t fucking think so.

We have no leaders like King. King spent his adult years trying to forge the unity of a nation and sadly, trying unsuccessfully to not be gunned down by the bullet of bigotry and hate.

The so called leaders we have today? Instead of seeking greatness, they spend their adult years merely seeking reelection.

I hate it.

Cheers!!

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: The Torch Is Passed, But Is It Still Burning?

Today is of course the day that our country observes Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday.

Tomorrow, our nation will inaugurate the first black man, Barack Obama, to the office of President of the United States.

King was a courageous and unwavering advocate for the black community.

More so, he sought social and economic justice for all men and women regardless of race.

Barack Obama, I believe, can be seen on some level as the embodiment of the continuation of King’s dream.

But my friends, in those forty years in between the MLK assassination and Obama’s election, many an African-American has promulgated the dream of King and others.

I think today is a good time to acknowledge some of those of African-American heritage that moved King’s vision forward to where we are today with the inauguration of Barack Obama.


Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth…Rev. Shuttlesworth will be 87 this year. He was a close associate of MLK, and was instrumental in the Civil Rights movement in Alabama.

He was a survivor of three assassination attempts in the late 50’s. In the 60’s, he started a church and civil rights network in Cincinnati, Ohio.

I had the honor to act as his assistant for a church service back in 1998.

I was at his side the entire time, as well as having breakfast with him prior to the service.

It was both exciting and humbling to be standing next to, and talking with and assisting such a giant.

There are quite few other notables as well who promulgated the King dream.

Sammy Davis, Jr…He proved to every African-American kid that being a black, short, one-eyed Jew, doesn’t have to prevent you from headlining in Vegas.

Jimmie J.J. Walker…He made housing project life tolerable for many a black family during the 70’s. His cutting edge…um…comedy, was infectious. I guess it helped that he looked like an Ethiopian.

Maya Angelou…A beacon of hope to young, less than talented black women everywhere.

Angelou has demonstrated that if a black woman speaks in a halting, professorial style while reading her incredibly bad poetry, white folks will still pay good money to listen to her painfully bad prose.

Al Sharpton…Are you an alleged rape victim? Is the man keeping you down?

Call Brother Al, he’ll get the media to cover your plight in a minute. Fame and money are guaranteed; the truth is optional.

Eh, I guess I’m just in a pissy mood on this day that honors a great man such as Martin Luther King, Jr.

There are to me, no more Kings, Shuttlesworths, Patrick Henrys, or Ben Franklins in the world. There is no greatness.

Of course, every generation probably has said and will say the same thing, but I think we as a society, have learned to settle for mediocrity.

Time will tell the level of greatness in Obama, and for him, I hope nothing but the best. But man…

When are we going to step up and demand more from our leaders, and more from ourselves? When are we going to demand a little King from all of us?

It better be soon, because our country really needs that type of vision and that type of courage.

Have a great MLK Day, all.

Cheers!!

Sunday Morning Church Disservice: I Feel Like Singin' A Negro Spiritual

It’s a Sabbath that is being greeted with snow showers and cold temps here in Bagwine, Ohio today.

Working the beer dock from 11-7 today is going to be a frigid adventure.

But as always, especially on Sundays, I consider my job to be doing God’s work.

Praise the Lord, and gimme two 40's of King Cobra and Newport 100's in a box, Matt-Man. I feel like singin'!!

Amen…

Instead of discussing the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit today, I’d like to talk about a different type of Holy Trinity.

Holy Cow!! MLK Day is tomorrow. The inaugural of the country’s first black Prez takes place Tuesday, and February kicks off Black History Month.

Talk about your trifecta of brutha and sistah-hood.

The culmination of this Afro-Centric triduum is bootylicious, ghettolicious, and Dyn-O-Mite.

I'm taking tomorrow off so I can join in the festivities.

Okay, I’m really taking off tomorrow because Pizza Bill needed to trade his Thursday for my Monday this week.

Nonetheless…

I am off for MLK Day and will be reflecting on the journey and struggles that have been endured by the African-American members of our national community.

I will spend the morning surfing the net trying to find naked pictures of Tyra Banks, Toni Braxton, and Vivica A. Fox.

I touched (i.e. shook the hand of) Ms. Fox in 2002 while in Detroit. I melted.

Later that day, I jacked off with said hand that touched the uber hot Vivica.

Ironically, when I met Mizz Fox, I was in Detroit working on the mayoral campaign of Kwame Kilpatrick. I was workin’ the Motor City hoods for the K-Man.

He won…of course last year, he left office in disgrace due to indictments of perjury and conspiracy, as well as charges of adultery.

I think that illustrates the reasons why I worked for him…Kwame is my kind of guy!!

My son has no school tomorrow, so I may take him out to lunch for some ethnic soul food cuisine.

I do after all, have a gift card for Appleby’s. Eatin’ Good in da Hood!!

Anyhoo…I hope you spend your Sabbath thinking about the history of your African-American brothers and sisters.

Not only is this time a chance to learn more about their history, but it will also make you much cooler.

How, you ask?

Well, with all of these big events taking place at the same time, one thing is quite evident…

Black is the new Black…Amen.

Cheers!!