Martin Luther King and the Case Against Attack Politics
Here is what he said:
"in the final analysis, means and ends must cohere because the end is preexistent in the means, and ultimately destructive means cannot bring about constructive ends."
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This is something else the Clintons missed during their covering themselves during a time of huge change. As a matter of fact, there would have been no "womens movement" had Dr. King rose up and demonstrated we could use our own voices to bring change.
January 21, 2008 1:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
You asked on another thread where the poster had learned history - I might ask you the same question. There has been a women's rights movement in this country since the first conference at Seneca Falls, New York in 1848. If anything galvanized the modern women's movement it was Betty Friedan's book, "The Feminist Mystique" published in 1963. It's patently ridiculous to assign all movements to one person or one time period - all movements' progress build upon the work of others. Dr. King wasn't the only civil rights agitator in the history of this country, in fact, we have quite a long list of civil rights agitators, both men and women.
Of course Dr. King galvanized people to work for change, but he wasn't the only one, and he won't be the last. Many people contribute to change and progress - legislators, organizers, leaders and movement workers who bring experience, enthusiasm, belief and moral authority to make this a better nation.
Why can't we act like adults and acknowledge that no one is perfect, no one is without faults or talents and that we need elected officials as much as we need the electorate? We are never going to have the "perfect candidate" despite what the pundits and idiocrats tell us, we will always have imperfect humans doing their best.
January 21, 2008 3:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
No 'women's movement'? Seriously? You've got to to be kidding. Women's movements were active throughout the 19th century. We can, in fact, trace it back at least to the ends of the 18th and the beginnings of the 19th with the writings of Mary Wolstonecraft. We can witness a 19th century drumbeat for legal reforms to recognize women's rights to own and inherit property on their own. We can look to women's influence on contemporary social movements, in particular, the anti-slavery movement, the suffrage movement and the temperance movement. In particular, the suffragettes were an extremely active and vocal womens movement in the early 20th century.
January 22, 2008 10:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
Ultimately, King's a religious thinker. That made him a good organizer but hardly the best philosopher.
There's plenty of room for, and call for "attack politics." Our idealogical enemies will use whatever means are at their disposal. If we do any turning of the other cheek, it'd better be to dodge and counterpunch this time.
I'm tired of losing.
thosethingswesay.blogspot.com
January 21, 2008 7:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
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Take up solitaire ... then if you wish to cheat you only harm yourself.
~OGDS~
January 21, 2008 7:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
What cheating? Hard knuckle politics isn't cheating. It's the right thing to do.
Obviously, I'm not advocating anything illegal. But I don't like the kid gloves approach.
thosethingswesay.blogspot.com
January 21, 2008 7:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
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I like pie . . .
~OGD~
January 21, 2008 8:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Uh...
I like fajitas?
thosethingswesay.blogspot.com
January 21, 2008 8:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
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But -- Do you enjoy gardening?
A pure diet of red meat and fat leads to hardening of the arteries and the resultant high blood pressure! Two ounces of red blood meat and 16 ounces of green veggies and legumes is a better balance.
~OGD~
January 21, 2008 8:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
I agree, though I need a higher protein balance as I'm a heavy weight lifter. Gardening isn't my thing as I'm a city dweller. But I do like fresh, organic veggies.
Fajitas can be made with more emphasis on veggies and also leaner meats like chicken and seafood you know.
But I still like politics.
thosethingswesay.blogspot.com
January 21, 2008 9:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
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Heavy weight lifter, Eh? I have a long-time friend named Peter Rawlick who was a AAU US national level power-lifter back in the 70s. Most mentally-intense, focused athlete I ever encountered.
I'm a sexagenarian ex-national level triple-jumper. Long, lean and mean combined with strength, speed and finesse. I don't lift at all anymore. I run and swim.
Most of our time we reside in LA. At other times we have land on the outskirts of Tucson, where our children live. Therefore, I know well what fajitas are. We were both born here locally on agricultural land. The city has grown around us. Fortunately we have room for quite a garden. That and we have flat roofs, part of which are covered in solar arrays, and the rest in roof top growing areas. It produces enough to supply the entire population of our block, and then some.
I enjoy politics too. Just with a little less salt and vinegar.
That's where the pie comes in.
~OGD~
January 21, 2008 10:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Heh, heh... I'm NO Peter Rawlick, but I try.
Guess I see some value in the salt and vinegar. But... I can disagree with people and like them too. Thank you for the delightful exchange.
thosethingswesay.blogspot.com
January 21, 2008 10:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
"That and we have flat roofs, part of which are covered in solar arrays, and the rest in roof top growing areas."
What kind of structure supports your "roof top growing areas"?
I'm sort of a fan of alternative passive solar building techniques (yeah post&beam straw bale construction!) and am wondering how extensive your gardens are; thinking about weight of soil+water....drainage, etc.
January 21, 2008 11:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks for your patience and sorry for the inconvenience!
Best regards, Mary, CEO of youtube download
December 21, 2010 3:59 AM | Reply | Permalink