Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Wright Back Atcha!

I spent a significant portion of the weekend, and the first few days of this week engaged in a spirited discussion with several friends. No, on second thought, it has been more than a discussion, it has been a debate. The conversations have been thoughtful, passionate, and conviction-filled. The subject has been, generally, a targeted exploration of the potential of either Senator Obama, or Senator Clinton to secure the Democratic Party’s nomination for President, and then an evaluation of the winner’s ability to successfully vie for President of the United States this fall.

Friday evening’s PBS interview of the Reverend Jeremiah Wright saw the first significant twist in the conversational stream…at least we thought so at the time. Bill Moyers did a fine job, and the Reverend Wright was a model of decorum, displaying all the charm and grace so many black ministers have raised to an art form. Moyers was a consummate professional, and the Reverend Wright was reflective, yet affable, and complete in his responses. It was hard to see the man, who had been vilified just weeks earlier, in the refined countenance of this gentleman, minister-scholar, patriot.

He was simultaneously everything you would have imagined-nothing you could have expected. Everything you would imagine from the retiring pastor of a mega-church, bright, quick-witted, almost glib; yet nothing you could have expected from someone who engendered scorn and rebuke from men and women across America.

The Moyers interview was followed Sunday by the Reverend Wright’s visit to speak to the Detroit Branch of the NAACP. More of the same ensued. In fact, the media silence, lack of e-chat, and wide-spread post-events conversation was stunning by its absence. This seeming lack of engagement was something that I mentioned as our group continued to discuss Obama-Clinton, Obama-McCain, and Clinton-McCain. While we all found it hard to explain, I opined there was still time, with one more media event Monday.

The Reverend Wright visited and spoke to The National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Monday morning. By Monday afternoon, word had filtered throughout our group that a tsunami-like force had been unleashed by the Reverend Wright’s appearance. He had not only emphatically repeated and defended virtually every tenet of his earlier sermons, but he took Senator Obama to task in the process. As one of my friends, who is not an Obama supporter put it, the Reverent Wright called him out for being just another politician.

In our debate, the anti-Obama sentimentalists argued that it is imperative for the Senator to be challenged, vetted, and otherwise toughened up now. This leavening, they say is essential if he is to have any hope of surviving the sure-to-come onslaught by republicans who are salivating to face the young, relatively untested, too liberal, Elitist Obama.

My dear friends also posit that Senator Obama threw the Reverend Wright under the bus during his Speech on Race at Constitution Hall in Philadelphia on March 18, 2008, and further contend that Obama denounced his “mentor of 20 years.” To say I see the issues differently is to put it mildly. In my opinion, Obama’s March 18th speech was ground-breaking in its scope and tenor. It is unheard of for a major party’s front-running candidate to make such a speech dealing comprehensively with the many facets and factors of race in America. And assuredly, the Senator made every effort to target Reverend Wright’s words, and not the man.

Still, as a preacher’s kid, commonly PK, I respect the necessary independence of men and women of the cloth, and note there is a clear distinction between spiritual and political realms. As such, candidate Obama cannot be expected to seek or exercise review and approval of the Reverend Wright’s opinions and commentary.

This week the Reverend Wright raised the temperature of this debate, significantly. In turn, Senator Obama was compelled to revisit, and reframe his earlier statements in a more forceful fashion. What he could do, what he did, and what he had to do, was express and restate his own views, and note those areas with which he disagrees with the Reverend Wright.

This is another of those areas that sparks my curiosity. I know what a number of my close friends and associates think and feel, on both sides of this issue. Some said today that Senator Obama has been rendered unelectable by the events of the past two days. Others reply that Obama will still win, Obama and Wright will reconcile, and furthermore, it is naive to think otherwise.

That is quite a wide-ranging spectrum. What about you? Do you believe Senator Obama responses have been called for, appropriate, needed, simply politically expedient, or something altogether different? Do the Reverend Wright's defiant/speak truth to power remarks wound Senator Obama? Did the Senator throw the Reverend under the bus? Did the Reverend throw the Senator under the bus? How will this affect the Democratic Party's nomination process? How will it affect the General Election?

I’m done; holla back! Tell me what you think.

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com. A new post is published each Wednesday. Additional posts may appear periodically during the week.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/28/jeremiah-wright-at-nation_n_98949.html

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/04/28/transcript-rev-wright-at-the-national-press-club/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lV8x_-Uk2c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=am50KvOWaaw&feature=related

http://blog.press.org/?p=599

http://thisainthell.us/blog/?p=1578

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/28/AR2008042802102.html

http://www.courant.com/news/nationworld/hc-wright0429.artapr29,0,3052900.story

http://patterico.com/2008/04/28/jeremiah-wright-speaks-at-the-national-press-club/

http://emergingminds.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6022:Jeremiah-Wright&catid=53:Black%20Activism,%20Education,%20and%20Society%20News&Itemid=145

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=4749383

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/04/29/will-offensive-against-wright-pay-off-in-the-primaries/

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/04/29/obama.wright/index.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24371827/

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/29/politics/main4055467.shtml

Friday, April 25, 2008

The Democrats Have a Nominee: It's Obama!

Double Bonus: Another story that just wouldn't wait.


Other than ensuring the Greatest Show on Earth will continue, does it matter that Hillary Clinton defeated Barack Obama Tuesday in Pennsylvania by nine-plus points? Barack Obama is the nominee.

read more digg story

Alert: Clinton Now Claims She Leads In Popular Vote

Bonus: This story was just too hot to wait until next Wednesday. When I heard Mrs. Clinton say this yesterday, I was stunned. This is clearly the political equivalent of new math. But, as I've maintained all along, that's politics; more to come.



What she doesn't tell you is that her opponent, Senator Barack Obama, wasn't even on the ballot in one of the states she's including in that count--Michigan, who's primary (along with Florida's) she herself signed an agreement not to count! Aside from it now being statistically impossible for her to win, she's now lying about her very own numbers!

read more digg story

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Pennsylvania Speaks

After 8 months, the inevitable finally happened. I am on the road and it is time to blog. After contemplating several approaches to posting, I decided to go with the Jean Luc Pikard method, and just make it so. Not having brought a laptop, and having limited access to the net, I found truth in the vintage axiom, "Necessity is the mother of invention." Suddenly, I found the time (motivation) to figure out how to enlist techno-solutions heretofore delayed.

I mentioned being away. I am in the midst of spending several days in Little Rock, Arkansas, a place I have never visited before. Since Friday evening, I have learned several things about downtown Little Rock. I discovered they have a hotel that features ducks...which live in the hotel...in a Duck Palace, or something like that. Each day, the ducks march down a red carpet to a fountain in the morning, spend most of the day there, and then uniformly march back to their palace at day's end. I guess you sorta had to be there.

I found in Little Rock, as in a lot of small and mid-sized towns, everything pretty much closes at 5:00 o'clock p.m. You know, like things used to do in Charlotte, until quite recently. Moreover, I also came to know there are no pharmacies, convenience stores, or grocers in downtown Little Rock. In fact, if you want or need to visit one of these establishments, you may find your best bet is to go to North Little Rock. While not in the next State, it is far enough that having a car is recommended.

Finally, while spending time in the Capital of Arkansas, it was only natural that I collect at least one or two William Jefferson Clinton factoids, which I did, and which I will share it with you. Can you guess what two distinctions Dr. Maya Angelou, Dr. Jocelyn Elders, Lou Brock, Johnny Taylor, Lela Rochon, E. Lynn Harris, Anita Pointer, John H. Johnson, Sidney Moncrief, share with the former President? First, along with Clinton, all are Arkansas natives. Second, they comprise 10 of the 85 members of the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame.

In an effort to stay topical, this week the Pennsylvania Primary is front and center. I will cut to the chase and note that Hillary Clinton won the hotly contested race, rather handily. Early estimates came in at 55-45, Clinton. This will undoubtedly been seen by the Clinton and Obama loyalists in two distinctly different ways.

Notably, Clinton backers will deem this more evidence that she has the right and necessary stuff to prevail in the big states, and despite Obama having spend big and campaigned hard, she prevailed comfortably. Alternately, Obama supporters will boast their candidate still leads in the total delegate count (1,694 to 1,556) and that Mrs. Clinton did not get the absolutely stunningly huge victory margin needed to completely staunch her campaign's hemorrhaging, and, of course, no where near the numbers necessary to catch him in the delegate count (that was not possible).

The interesting thing is, for those who argue those points, they are correct, in both instances. It is just the latest indication that the race could linger until the end of summer, and the Democratic National Convention. There may be a caveat. The fund raising juggernaut Senator Obama has created continues to work its magic. Unless the Pennsylvania victory translates into a campaign fund raising surge, the Clinton campaign may falter.

In reviewing the tenor of the campaign in weeks leading to the Keystone State primary, the temperature continued to rise. While most observers agree, Obama has consistently done a better job of deflecting and redirecting the discourse to the legitimate issues and themes of the campaign, it is clearly becoming more challenging for him to do so. The reality is this degradation of temperament, and blurring of distinction between real issues and manufactured indignation is a natural offshoot of political campaigning, especially at this level.

There will likely come a point when the people will have to demand a return to issues of significance, or it may not happen. And if that does not happen, both Senators Obama and Clinton stand to lose the ultimate victory. That's what I think; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link:
http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com. A new post is published each Wednesday.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/04/22/pa.primary/index.html

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=4701035&page=1

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/22/politics/main4033803.shtml

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24251043/

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/us/politics/23penn.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/22/AR2008042203469.html?hpid%3Dtopnews&sub=AR

http://www.charlotte.com/206/story/591651.html

http://www2.arkansasonline.com/news/2008/apr/22/clinton-takes-lead-early-precincts-pennsylvania/?news/elections#

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/apr/23/pennsylvania-primary-democratic-analysis-rough/

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/home_top_stories/20080422_Great_weather__record_turnout_forecast_as_PA_votes.html

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Bitter and Frustrated!

One look at the topic above, and with little or no imagination, you could accurately project the essence of this topic. Yes, I decided to spend a few minutes taking a look at the most recently manufactured controversy attributed to Senator Barack Obama.

By now, virtually everyone knows the rudimentary elements of the story, at least. Last week, during a San Francisco fundraiser, Senator Obama referred to some Pennsylvania voters as bitter and frustrated…and added that they turn to guns, or religion; or they turn against immigrants.

Of course there was a deeper context involved. Obama did not simply characterize entire groups of Pennsylvanians as maladjusted societal dropouts. He attributed their outlook to deleterious effects of years of failed Republican policies, a fact neither of his Presidential Campaign rivals has bothered to elevate, and one that the media has been slow to concede.

It is important to recognize, at this juncture, that the Fourth Estate is materially enhanced by the nearly week-long brouhaha that has ensued. Similarly both of his competitors saw a chance to make hay at Obama’s expense. So tantalizing was the pot of gold at the end of that rainbow, until both Senators Clinton and McCain arrived, amazingly, at the same conclusion; that Barack Obama’s comments were Elitist.

Go ahead and call me a cynic, but in this rather contrived, gang up on the front runner ploy, I see a deliciously inventive political stratagem. Senator Clinton seized an opportunity to distance herself from the lingering media specter stemming from her outrageous Bosnia comments. They had, for weeks, been haunting her aspirations to swoop in and steal the Democratic Nomination. Senator McCain, having secured the Republican Nomination weeks ago, seemed to be left to suffer in silence, without a campaign to wage. Dealing himself into this media-made controversy seemed like just the ticket. “Go Tell It on the Mountain, the Election is coming!”

Taking a closer look at this situation, it is hard not to be amused. Here we have a Wellesley/Yale alum trying to besmirch the character of a Columbia/Harvard grad by labeling him with the E-word. Meanwhile, the USNA guy is acting as though he feels left out (of something important) & is saying, "How can I get a piece of that action?"

Were it not for the fact all three are in dogged pursuit of the highest office in the land, and possibly the biggest political prize the world...it really would be funny. Instead, recognizing that short of a tragedy of monumental proportion, one of them will be President, this episode is basically...quite sad.

Consider this to inject an element of perspective. Senators Clinton, McCain, and Obama are members of the U.S, Senate; a body of 100 members which constitutes one-third of our 3-Branch Federal Government.

According to dictionary.com, the primary (first listed) definition of Elitist is: noun
1. Practice of or belief in rule by an elite.

To be an Elite, one must posses, or be perceived as possessing great intellect, high social status, or massive financial resources. Lest we kid ourselves, all three of these candidates are Elites. Moreover, name a modern-day United States President...and I will name the biggest, baldest Elite in all the land.

To be sure, the word Elitist has been given a bad rap, but so have liberal, and democrat. This debate, if you call it that, is predicated upon manipulation and intimidation by fud.

Fud: Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt. Also known as scare tactics, either accomplished by threat or making the opponent doubt his standpoint. Not only used in lawsuits, but also in politics and military propaganda. See urbandictionary.com

To be sure, as the campaigns wear on, there are apt to be great ideas and issues, worthy of debate, requiring deep discernment, and artful articulation. It is even likely some will occur before the Conventions. But gentle readers, I solemnly submit to you, this issue of Bitter and Frustrated in Pennsylvania was not one of them. Move along; nothing to see here.

I am done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com, or by Googling thesphinxofcharlotte. A new post is published each Wednesday.


http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/04/15/roland.martin/index.html

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-04-12-obama-comments_N.htm?csp=34

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/04/14/mccain_calls_obamas_comments_e.html

http://www.memphisrap.com/cgi-bin/content/pub9990263694155.cgi?itemid=9990285286447&action=viewad&page=1&placeonpage=1&totaldisplayed=999&categoryid=9980267836024

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/04/obama-defends-h.html

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/04/13/8253/

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/barbhenggeler/gGBpCT

http://eric-albert.newsvine.com/_news/2008/04/13/1428639-finding-voters-bitter-and-frustrated-obama-is-sounding-like-nader

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x352328

http://www.oprah.com/community/thread/51344

http://digg.com/politics/Finding_Voters_Bitter_and_Frustrated_Obama_channels_Nader

http://www.trueblueliberal.com/2008/04/14/finding-voters-bitter-and-frustrated-obama-is-sounding-like-nader/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/protectourbordernow/message/43091

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_11520.cfm

http://www.woodmoorvillage.org/2008/04/clinging-to-rel.html

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

The Other Obama

The daily news is has for months brought us the gritty details and fine-grained minutiae of the campaign trail. It is the talk around water coolers, during coffee breaks, and at social gatherings big and small. We know all about Senator McCain’s out of the Country itinerary, we have been meticulously prepped on Senator Clinton’s push to let freedom ring for the Democratic Primary delegates of Florida and Michigan, and we know far more than we ever thought we would want to about the man Senator Obama has referred to as his Spiritual Leader (Jeremiah Wright). Yes, we have the Tee-shirt on Campaign 101; been there, done that.

With the Pennsylvania Primary just under two weeks away, on April 22nd, you can be sure that the next 13 days will serve up more of the same. Several times since November, I’ve written about politics and/or elections. Over the course of the next 7 months, various aspects of the 2008 primaries, National political conventions, and the General Election will demand our attention.

With time to spare before the next primary, and on the heels (no pun intended) of the Men’s and Women’s College Basketball Championships, I decided to take a few minutes to focus on Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama. By the way, in case you have been under a rock…or just don’t follow those sorts of things, the Kansa Jayhawks won the Men’s Title Monday evening in a thrilling come from behind, win in overtime victory of the Memphis Tigers. It was the 1st Title for the Jayhawks in 20 years. Last night, the Tennessee Volunteers beat the Stanford Cardinal, giving the Vols their second Title in a row. Congratulations to the Jayhawks and Volunteers.

With Senator McCain having locked up the Republican nomination, most of the buzz on the campaign trail has revolved around the two remaining democrats for weeks now. In a race that seems destined to produce an historic outcome, either Clinton or Obama will become the Party’s nominee, making it the first time either major has nominated a woman or a black for President. But you have heard all about that. The rest of these few moments will be spent getting more familiar with Mrs. Obama.

Like her husband, Michelle matriculated at Ivy League Universities for undergraduate and Law School. She attended and graduated with honors from Princeton in 1985, majoring in sociology, with a minor in African American studies, before attending Harvard Law School, where she earned a Juris Doctor degree in 1988 (Barack graduated from Columbia in 1983, with a BA in political science and a specialization in international relations, and from Harvard Law School, with high honors, in 1991. He became the Harvard law Review’s first black president in 1990).

A Chicago native, Michelle met Barack when they were the only two African-Americans working at their law firm, and she was assigned to mentor him while he worked as a summer associate. On their first date, they went to see Spike Lee’s movie, Do the Right Thing. She was born in Chicago, January 17, 1964, raised on the South side, and returned there after receiving her formal education. She, and Barack, married in 1992, and they and their two children, Malia, and Natasha, still live in Chicago, rather than Washington. Interestingly, to me anyway, she has a brother who coaches college basketball. Her brother, Craig Robinson, was just named head coach at Oregon State University, Monday, after a two-year stint as head man at Brown University.

Michelle has had a steadily evolving role over the course of Barack’s campaign. Early in the campaign, she resisted the title adviser. As the campaign has developed, so has her role. At this stage, it is fair to say, she is acknowledged as the Senator’s closest adviser.

But she has plays numerous roles, including stump speaker. Yesterday she made her first-ever visit to North Carolina, appearing in Harrisburg, located just outside Charlotte, and in Winston-Salem. Bright, compassionate, articulate, Michelle Obama has become a star in her own right. And while it’s clear, she’s carrying the banner for Team Obama, it is clear she could create her own niche in political circles, should she ever desire to pursue that calling. But to be fair, seeking the spotlight has never appealed to the woman Barack calls, his “rock.” To that end, she made not be Hillary redux, but let us not get ahead of ourselves. As far as campaigns go, this is Barack’s time; as far as this synopsis goes, it is Michelle’s time.

One of the certainties about extended intense media scrutiny, is sooner or later, there is going to be a “gotcha” moment. The longer and more intense the scrutiny, the more such moments there will be. Michelle experienced her signal “gotcha” moment (to date) February 18, 2008, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. There she commented, "For the first time in my adult life I am proud of my country because it feels like hope is finally making a comeback." As far as Mrs. Obama is concerned, that remark has become the proverbial shot heard ‘round the world.

Looking back on it, Michelle appears to have been given a mulligan for her Milwaukee statement. The official campaign response was anyone listening to it would clearly understand she was speaking of politics. The storm died down, and the steely glare of the media’s spotlight went elsewhere in search of controversy. Of course, as the campaign winds on, chances are Michelle’s number will come up again. I have no doubt she will handle whatever it is with similar aplomb.

The Obamas have clearly designed and crafted a message that resonates with millions of Americans. Without a doubt, more work remains. But if Michelle has her way, it looks as though she will finally have to bite the bullet and abandon the Windy City for our Nation’s Capital. Somehow, I think, should it come to that, she will do just fine.
I am done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com, or by Googling thesphinxofcharlotte. A new post is published each Wednesday.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelle_Obama

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama

http://www.barackobama.com/about/michelle_obama/

http://www.newsweek.com/id/112849

http://www.charlotte.com/109/story/572303.html

http://www.slate.com/id/2176683/pagenum/all/

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0208/8642.html

http://www.breitbart.tv/html/49244.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqCYFpUAJ2Q

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/10/AR2007051002573.html

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/03/10/080310fa_fact_collins

http://marriage.about.com/od/celebritymarriages/p/barackobama.htm

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2007-05-10-michelle-obama_N.htm

http://www.suntimes.com/news/marin/803267,CST-NWS-marin20.article

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/12/michelle_obama200712

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/04/21/michelle-obama-vs-hillary-clinton/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20041755/

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

A King's Legacy: The Martin No One Chooses to Remember

The on-going discourse generated by the re-hashed words of The Reverend Jeremiah Wright underscore our tendency to view history through rose-colored glasses, and romanticized recollections. This Friday, April 4th, our Nation will commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Of course, the day will pass without nearly the fanfare of Dr. King’s birthday, now a National Holiday.

There will be vignettes and vintage film clips immortalizing the March on Washington, and Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. In corners far and wide, Dr. King will be lauded for his Gandhi-like non-violent stance.

What will go under-reported, and largely unacknowledged, is the “so-called” radical side of King. It is so understated in historical recounting that many are unaware it even existed; but it did. In fact, recalling Dr. King’s denunciation of the American Government because of its role in the Vietnam War, and the public outrage that followed, signifies, in a palpable way, that the recent furor over Reverend Wright’s King-inspired comments is indicative of the unfinished business this Country has revolving around the question of race.

Throughout much of the Barack Obama Presidential Campaign, much of the Nation has extolled the virtue of his no harm, no foul brand of politics and approach to campaigning. Senator Obama has been lauded frequently for his restrained, balanced approach to addressing racism as largely a past tense matter. His Change theme, and Yes We Can mantra have filled TV, youtube, and venues large and small with admiring supporters of all stripes; democrats, independents, reborn republicans, black, white, and brown, wealthy, and poor. His adoring legions constitute a proverbial Rainbow Coalition, apologies to the Reverend Jackson.

On the way to securing his Party’s nomination to run for President, a funny thing (not amusing, of course) happened. Jeremiah Wright, in a voice from the past spoke out. Not the months ago past. Not even a year ago past. The comments that surfaced to start the firestorm were made in a sermon nearly 5 years ago, April 13 2003. In his Biblically based remarks, Reverend Wright suggested, in a text taken from Luke 19: 37-44 (reading from the New Revised Standard Version) that God would curse America, in part because of its role in the war in Iraq.

In an eerily similar reference, Dr King presaged a similar fate in a 1967 sermon. It is easy to reflect on America more than 40 years ago, during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, and understand that a black man would be censured in a most scathing way for such an assertion. Even invoking a Universal God could not blunt the attacks sure to ensue. But as we near the end of the first full decade of the 21st Century, such intolerance is surely difficult to fathom.
The very concept of such spiteful reactions should be especially challenging for those who claim to have embraced the tenets of Change that Senator Obama espouses. What could possibly explain this chasm between assertions and actions? The one glaring likelihood that occurs to me is we have yet to become the Change we aspire to. I have found neither a present-day GPS, or a future-world transporter to get us there, but I exhort you in the immortal words of Jean-Luc Picard, “Make is so.”

So as Friday nears, and you see depictions of the Washington Mall, the monuments, the throngs, and you hear recordings of the “I have a Dream” speech, remember, Dr. King, a great patriot, rallied that crowd, and inspired them to peaceful and harmonious coexistence.

But recall he challenged the status quo, also. Be reminded that in an ironic twist of fate, MLK delivered a sermon at Riverside Baptist Church, April 4, 1967, one year before his assassination. Never forget, the message, entitled, “A Time to Break Silence (A Declaration Against the Vietnam War)," was a Manifesto; a call for our great Nation to be true to its creed, and a poignant reminder of the fate we would suffer, should we ignore our calling.

I’m done; holla back!

Oh by the way, for anyone headed to, or thinking about San Antonio; GO HEELS!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com, or by Googling thesphinxofcharlotte. A new post is published each Wednesday.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King,_Jr.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b80Bsw0UG-U

http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/bpoliticsb-does-martin-luther-kings-dream-live-on/2008/04/01/1206850905204.html

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http://books.google.com/books?id=ybwUfb7CSVcC&printsec=frontcover&dq=The+reverend+Dr.+Martin+Luther+king,+Jr.&sig=pcMvJKDpvfvnPvDdhs2PED58PAE#PPP1,M1

http://books.google.com/books?id=bFi0AAAACAAJ&dq=martin+luther+king,+Jr.

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http://books.google.com/books?id=UyhRbBHzneEC&pg=PA91&dq=the+radical+dr.+martin+luther+king&sig=76YOr_HkeeBQ7wce89pWwsLGiXc

http://books.google.com/books?id=B8k6btUYR68C&pg=PA353&dq=the+radical+dr.+martin+luther+king&sig=rqtqjlD7vTKn0zBOX-69LSTSAXA

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkatimetobreaksilence.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b80Bsw0UG-U

http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/45a/058.html

http://books.google.com/books?id=B8k6btUYR68C&pg=PA418&dq=martin+luther+king+on+vietnam&sig=UIu0Jrt2MyQZPP9uDrI8skXqWJs#PPA417,M1

http://books.google.com/books?id=PVpBAAAAIAAJ&q=martin+luther+king+on+vietnam&dq=martin+luther+king+on+vietnam&pgis=1