An open letter to Rev. Al Sharpton
Dear Rev. Sharpton,
I'd like to start by noting that I'm not very comfortable taking this tone with my elders. My reverence for your civil rights era contributions makes this even harder to pen. But I'm compelled to go forward.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream is based on equality - the equality of men, one to another. It is not, and never was, a dream of equal outcomes.
You recently noted that Dr. King's dream was, "... not to get one black family into the White House, but instead, to make sure that everyone's house has the same stuff". Apologies for paraphrasing - I couldn't find the video or direct quotation. I trust though, that I've accurately captured the gist of your statement.
Reverend Sharpton, Dr. King's dream is based on a principle. Principles are incontrovertible. They are timeless and recognize no borders. Your dream, sir, is based on an ideal. Ideals are fanciful. They are contemporary. They can vary greatly, even among logical and reasonable men.
I ask you sir, to revere and honor Dr. King and his dream by preserving it. If it's about "stop and frisk" policies, evoke his dream. When it comes to the size of my TV as compared to yours, leave it alone.
In closing, I'll acknowledge the fact that you were there, and I was not. Perhaps I'm mistaken. If I am, I invite you or anyone reading this post to correct me. Let me know if, and in what manner Dr. King promoted social justice. I'll apologize set the record straight, even live on your show:)
Sincerely,
The Conservative Brother
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2 comments:
I went down to the memorial for Dr. King shortly after it opened. The quotes that they chose were interesting. They were purposely chosen to make him sound like he believed in social justice. There is not one quote there from his "I have a dream" speech; what he is most remembered for.
I really do wonder who picked the quotes that he used.
Thanks for the comments, JACG. Regarding "social justice" quotes, I walked down to the King Memorial a few weeks ago during my lunch break. I don't recall any quotes that stood out. Do you remember any of them?
I do recall seeing several quotes on the topic of justice, not social justice. There's a big difference of course. Also, I remember hearing that King's "drum major" quote was changed for brevity. Some people were upset because the change distorted the tone and meaning of King's words. I bring this up to note that it's not outrageous to suggest that a "social justice" quote at the Memorial could be out of context, dare I say even changed.
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