Happy Birthday Martin Luther King, Jr.

[coreystone]

”Martin Luther King, Jr. was born at noon Tuesday, January 15, 1929, at the family home, 501 Auburn Avenue, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Charles Johnson was the attending physician. “

http://search.netscape.com/ns/boomframe.jsp?query=Martin+Luther+King&page=3&offset=0&result_url=redir%3Fsrc%3Dwebsearch%26requestId%3D451d9a9f5f388f90%26clickedItemRank%3D25%26userQuery%3DMartin%2BLuther%2BKing%26clickedItemURN%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.lib.lsu.edu%252Fhum%252Fmlk%252Fsrs218.html%26invocationType%3Dnext%26fromPage%3DNSCPNextPrev%26amp%3BampTest%3D1&remove_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lib.lsu.edu%2Fhum%2Fmlk%2Fsrs218.html

Today we celebrate the birthday and life of one my heroes. He stands with Gandhi and Jesus Christ for me.

I am still saddened by his passing on that Thursday (April 4, 1968) evening when I was driving to Castleton, Vermont to pick up a trailer to transport our band’s equipment for the following nights “gig” in Manchester. As I drove to the gas station where I would rent a “U-Haul” trailer, there was a news cast on the radio that the Reverend King had been shot in a motel in Memphis, Tennessee. I was in disbelief. I was still in high school, and had not really understood why anyone would want to murder King. He was one of my heroes.

“I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor's lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers.”

http://www.mecca.org/~crights/dream.html


When I eventually arrived at the gas station to pick up my trailer, the radio was on there. It was broadcasting more news about the assassination of Reverend King. As I signed the papers for the trailer rental, the owner and an employee were making comments such as “They should have shot more of those niggers”! I had such mixed feelings of sadness for King and anger at these people at the gas station. All I wanted to do was drive home. I was not only in disbelief of the King’s murder, but, in the disbelief of the vulgar hatred of those comments at the gas station.

I believe that Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech, which was delivered on the steps to a 250,000 strong crowd of civil rights protesters at the Lincoln Memorial, ranks as one of the most inspiring patriotic speeches in our American experiment.

Today is the celebration of the birth of a great man. I honor him, though tears stream down my cheeks that he was taken so soon. Let us rejoice in his memory for all which he accomplished and sacrificed for us as Americans.

Happy Birthday
By Stevie Wonder


“You know it doesn't make much sense
There ought to be a law against
Anyone who takes offense
At a day in your celebration
‘Cause we all know in our minds
That there ought to be a time
That we can set aside
To show just how much we love you
And I'm sure you would agree
It couldn't fit more perfectly
Than to have a world party on the day you came to be

Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday

Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday

I just never understood
How a man who died for good
Could not have a day that would
Be set aside for his recognition
Because it should never be
Just because some cannot see
The dream as clear as he
that they should make it become an illusion
And we all know everything
That he stood for time will bring
For in peace our hearts will sing
Thanks to Martin Luther King

Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday

Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday

Why has there never been a holiday
Where peace is celebrated
all throughout the world

The time is overdue
For people like me and you
Who know the way to truth
Is love and unity to all God's children
It should never be a great event
And the whole day should be spent
In full remembrance
Of those who lived and died for the oneness of all people
So let us all begin
We know that love can win
Let it out don't hold it in
Sing it loud as you can

Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday

Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday

Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday

Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday

Happy birthday
Happy birthday
Happy birthday
Ooh yeah
Happy birthday...
We know the key to unify all people
Is in the dream that you had so long ago
That lives in all of the hearts of people
That believe in unity
We'll make the dream become a reality
I know we will
Because our hearts tell us so”

:grouphug:

Thank you for your life Martin Luther King, Jr. -
coreystone

[Politiclo8]

1. I hate to disappoint you..........

but although MLK did help physically intergrate America blacks and other minorities have never been truely accepted. It's only a facade as you can witness in the elections of 'states' rights'Reagan and the anti-affirmative action George W Bush. The Rethugs are even sponsering a bill to rename some of the streets named for MLK for Reagan. The bill was cynically named the diverisity bill something or the other. lol

[hector459]

4. I believe the point is that MLK at least had the courage to try to face

power non-violently. It is not his fault that the rest of us had neither the physical nor moral courage to make his dream happen. Of all the speeches he made, the one about the Viet Nam war was the greatest to me. Even my right wing in-laws were touched by it. I do believe that he was one of the gratest orators of our time. I took and still take a lot of heat from relatives when I speak tribute to him.

[grace0418]

2. Pretty much everything MLK stood for is going to be

or already has been trampled by BushCo.

[LuCifer]

5. True...but...

...despite how much the "flat Earth" crowd denys the existence of science, the pendulum has swung as far to the right as it can go...which means...it's swinging BACK TO THE LEFT BABY!!!

Lu Cifer, reminding you that Michael Savage is still a racist bigoted pile of crap and I wish him & all scumbag troll KKK types a very HAPPY MLK DAY. Prick!

[peace4all]

6. trampled but

we would still be so much lesser a people without his contributions.
His wisdom is still here for us.

[quiet.american]

3. Thanks for posting this heartfelt recollection

It's wonderful to read of your respect and admiration for Dr. King. His life and efforts were not in vain. His words and actions remain a beacon of light for this country and the world, to which we can return again and again, especially in such ignorance-filled times as these.

Thanks again for your wonderful post.

[Pithy Cherub]

7. Happy Birthday MLK!

Thank you for your post in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. The other night on PBS was a documentary, Citizen King, that put his full life in perspective. It was honestly done and showed the many trials and tribulations that he endured from all sectors of the population.

Before the Poor People's Campaign, he had willingly gone to live in the ghettoes of Chicago. Criticism was his constant companion, BUT he had the courage of his convictions and it was inspring to see.

Happy Birthday, Sir! I thank you!

[Nikia]

8. He indeed is a great hero

He had the courage to take a moral stance in peace and influence many, knowing that they'd kill him for it, which they did. He was a true Christian and a true American.

[coreystone]

9. For Those Who Would Wish to Celebrate MLK Birthday Today!

:-)