Posted on Jan 17, 2015
Dr Martin L. King Jr.: Where are we at with the dream today?
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Well with direct regard to the unrest in Ferguson and the clash against police brutality I believe we've lost respect and focus on both ends. There's a way to deal with things and although the actions of many of the people involved can be criticized heavily, I can see the standpoints within each party. Life should be valued and respected.
In my opinion, race, religion and social class have been up and down in regards to cultural progression and regression. I say this from personal experience and witnessing certain things. I've seen ignorance in its finest form through social media platforms. The racism and hate exists, and it is so heavy that I am disgusted with those fools whom call themselves Americans. The religious battles and the widespread violence that multiple religious groups cause is appalling. And for the infamous social class, the rich continue to get richer and the poor just die.
On the good side there's been plenty of progress and the condition that we as citizens are in now regarding cultural issues is nothing like it was decades ago. Progress is progress no matter how miniscule. In order to continue on the good path, I think we need stronger foundations at home, less babies having babies, more education, which leads to needing more money.
In my opinion, race, religion and social class have been up and down in regards to cultural progression and regression. I say this from personal experience and witnessing certain things. I've seen ignorance in its finest form through social media platforms. The racism and hate exists, and it is so heavy that I am disgusted with those fools whom call themselves Americans. The religious battles and the widespread violence that multiple religious groups cause is appalling. And for the infamous social class, the rich continue to get richer and the poor just die.
On the good side there's been plenty of progress and the condition that we as citizens are in now regarding cultural issues is nothing like it was decades ago. Progress is progress no matter how miniscule. In order to continue on the good path, I think we need stronger foundations at home, less babies having babies, more education, which leads to needing more money.
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His beautiful dream has been hijacked and used for personal gain and to keep people from reaching their true potential.
The media, certain high-level African-American figures, and of course other people and groups of people, have hindered his visions and dreams.
It's sad.
It is pathetic.
I believe our Nation is worse off these days and needs a MAJOR overhaul.
The media, certain high-level African-American figures, and of course other people and groups of people, have hindered his visions and dreams.
It's sad.
It is pathetic.
I believe our Nation is worse off these days and needs a MAJOR overhaul.
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Cpl Anthony Pearson
To clarify, we are certainly better in some ways. Major changes needed to be made, and were made. There are other challenges that we now face, and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight.
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We've crested the hill and are on the backside sliding toward segregation as the vitriol is spewed from those who would destroy what has been gained. It is a slippery slope.
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I think we have made progress but I don't believe certain behaviors and practices ever went away. They were just placed in the "closet" because they became socially unacceptable. However, due to certain events and "changes" in the country that closet was opened up and those behaviors and practices have now become acceptable again. The only difference is they have changed into different verbiage to justify their existence. When any discriminatory practices are pointed out or recognized now all you have to say is the latest ego defense mechanism phrase (e.g. race baiting, Conservative idiot, Liberal idiot, Political correctness...blah blah blah) to ignore the injustice or issue. The sad part is there are a lot of good people who have been tricked to take place in this new form of old practices.
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Capt Jeff S.
What the black community has failed to achieve has been due in large part to self-inflicted wounds. Stop whining and making excuses for the bad behavior coming out of the black community. Until the black community takes ownership of its inherent problems and stops blaming whites for the crime, broken down family structure, gang activity, and lack of effort by the community put into educating black youth, there will always be a disconnect. Rap music reflects the problems in black society and programs those who listen to it to grow up with negative attitudes, esteeming all the wrong things: Violence, drugs, crime, women as objects (bitches and ho's), etc. Did you ever stop to think that maybe the majority of problems in the black community today are caused by blacks themselves?
Okay, a little history lesson. Slavery was bad. Right? But do blacks have an exclusive right to complain about their ancestors being made slaves? The Ottoman Turks who invaded Europe made slaves out of the Europeans they conquered. The same goes for the Moors in Spain. The Vikings raided Europe and profited off the slave trade, selling European slaves to the slave traders in the Middle East. The Romans dominated and enslaved many of those whom they conquered. Nobody is telling Italy, the Arabs (who still own slaves), Scandinavians, etc. that they need to make reparations for the white slave trade. This predates what happened to blacks in Africa although slavery in Africa is as old as Africa itself. Blacks enslaved each other before they found out they could get rid of their unwanted neighbors by selling them to the Europeans who brought them to the New World to work the sugar cane fields and cotton plantations.
At some point, you have to stop looking to the past and start looking to the future. Stop acting like people owe you something. Nobody owes you anything. Life doesn't deal everyone the same hand, but you simply have to do your best with what you have been given and make the best of it. If you want to whine and complain that's on you, but then don't be surprised when people get tired of listening to you whine and complain. What they want to see is, "What are you doing to make the best of what you have?" Instead of whining that nobody is bringing you fish, learn how to fish and go fishing. If you are sitting on your hands waiting for others to take care of you, or rioting and being destructive, you're not going to get a whole lot of sympathy from others.
So with that said, IF you don't want to be looked at sideways with suspicion, stop acting like violent thugs. Police your own and raise your kids to respect the law instead of flash mobbing stores and robbing them blind. Don't go around in large groups looking for someone to knock out. If you don't like being stereotyped, change your behavior and the stereotypes will fade away.
Lack of a family structure and lack of parenting have a LOT to do with the problems blacks face in America. You look at the teen pregnancy rates, the dependence on welfare, the lack of education of black youth and it's all there. Fix that, and your own inherent racism, and people will begin to look at blacks differently.
Okay, a little history lesson. Slavery was bad. Right? But do blacks have an exclusive right to complain about their ancestors being made slaves? The Ottoman Turks who invaded Europe made slaves out of the Europeans they conquered. The same goes for the Moors in Spain. The Vikings raided Europe and profited off the slave trade, selling European slaves to the slave traders in the Middle East. The Romans dominated and enslaved many of those whom they conquered. Nobody is telling Italy, the Arabs (who still own slaves), Scandinavians, etc. that they need to make reparations for the white slave trade. This predates what happened to blacks in Africa although slavery in Africa is as old as Africa itself. Blacks enslaved each other before they found out they could get rid of their unwanted neighbors by selling them to the Europeans who brought them to the New World to work the sugar cane fields and cotton plantations.
At some point, you have to stop looking to the past and start looking to the future. Stop acting like people owe you something. Nobody owes you anything. Life doesn't deal everyone the same hand, but you simply have to do your best with what you have been given and make the best of it. If you want to whine and complain that's on you, but then don't be surprised when people get tired of listening to you whine and complain. What they want to see is, "What are you doing to make the best of what you have?" Instead of whining that nobody is bringing you fish, learn how to fish and go fishing. If you are sitting on your hands waiting for others to take care of you, or rioting and being destructive, you're not going to get a whole lot of sympathy from others.
So with that said, IF you don't want to be looked at sideways with suspicion, stop acting like violent thugs. Police your own and raise your kids to respect the law instead of flash mobbing stores and robbing them blind. Don't go around in large groups looking for someone to knock out. If you don't like being stereotyped, change your behavior and the stereotypes will fade away.
Lack of a family structure and lack of parenting have a LOT to do with the problems blacks face in America. You look at the teen pregnancy rates, the dependence on welfare, the lack of education of black youth and it's all there. Fix that, and your own inherent racism, and people will begin to look at blacks differently.
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Sadly I do not think we are any where near the dream the Dr. King envisioned. Ok so all of our races have the same equalities and rights and that was a big part of his dream. But look at all of the hate and while not open segregation, the way that people still separate from each other. At work, no matter how often it is talked about, there are still racial jokes thrown around daily. Everyone laughs about them, but the underlying tension can still be felt at times. It is not just whites and blacks either anymore, we are a HUGE melting pot as SPC Beyssac stated. So now we have all kinds of racial differences and they are unfortunately pointed out daily. Everyone puts on a face of equality and brotherly love regardless of skin color or gender, but it is just as fake as the makeup a hooker wears. I think with the many years that have passed since Dr. King's speech, he would be disappointed to see the state we are still in here in America.
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Sadly, I believe that Jesse Jackson's urging of the people of the United States to use the term "African-American" continued a sense of separation of Americans. I am constantly hearing, in the media, "We need to have a conversation about race relations." Who's gonna start. Race relations toward the more inflammatory rhetoric allows them to create news or perpetuate the divide. They're not gonna start this conversation. Al Sharpton would have nothing else to discuss if WE took a stand against racism. The KKK would be held to hiding in the backwoods of their homes or eradicated from public office if WE started to talk. The more recent police shootings of black men, police being ambushed in execution of their duties, and the state of cities like Chicago, I believe, walks on the grace of this great Leader as well as disrespects his memory. I would love to have a discussion if they ever want to talk. However, as of recent, when you don't agree with someone you're labeled a racist, bigot, sexist, snowflake...etc. What are WE to do?
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Obama at his Farewell Address mentions "walking in someone else's shoes". For a couple of years I've thought that is difficult when walking in your own shoes is hard enough; and more so when you can't take your own shoes off.
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SPC Joe Beyssac, progressing. Sisily Tyson told an interviewer on the Ophra channel that she was shocked when told by a black junior high student never heard of Dr. Martin Luthur King Jr. Now, I can look at that conversation negatively. Negative because the school system is obviously not teaching about civil rights this is on the assumption the student does his or her part in trying to learn what is taught. I do not know this aspect. Positive, students today take for granted that they do not live under the separate but equal policy sactioned by our constitution called segregation because we are not Legislated to live physically segregated anymore. Regardless of any police brutality this is in fact progress. Changing our constitution is not easy kind of like changing our DNA makeup.
I have a serious problem following the black life matter movement because we need to unite and not divide ourselves peacefully. The black life movement does not impress me as a peaceful movement. I think about the civil rights era with Dr. King and Malcom X. How do we think that encouraging violent language will get us good treatment? When someone starts talking bad about us because of the bad things we do. Are we really going to put our pride aside and say yea I did something bad and I am sorry. Just to be continually badgered over and over again about what we did bad. I really do believe confortation that is violent or disruptive like I seen at a presidental speech by the black life matters not only crossed the line of respect your fellow man. It told our fellow man commit violence to me or my people and we will respond in kind and not in love. Dr. King was about love, bringing people together not building a justification to physically get violent with police.
One the issue of police violence against black men. I wonder how many black police officers would allow other black citizens to give them a lot of back talk when they get stopped. Why do we think police are perfect machines without any emotions, don't come to work with problems on their minds. We have to respect police officers initally on our first contacts.
I spent 50 months in Iraq and would not allow any civilian walk around me with a weapon without me watching his every move. Not because I do not like their nationality but not wanting to get shot. Police do a dangerous job. People in this country do not respect the law and will think nothing of shooting a police officer. My dad raised me in the NAACP and he was a president in our city for a good length of time. He told me and my brothers not to commit any crimes and come home because he will turn us in himself. His point was nothing excuses us breaking the law. Nothing.
I have a serious problem following the black life matter movement because we need to unite and not divide ourselves peacefully. The black life movement does not impress me as a peaceful movement. I think about the civil rights era with Dr. King and Malcom X. How do we think that encouraging violent language will get us good treatment? When someone starts talking bad about us because of the bad things we do. Are we really going to put our pride aside and say yea I did something bad and I am sorry. Just to be continually badgered over and over again about what we did bad. I really do believe confortation that is violent or disruptive like I seen at a presidental speech by the black life matters not only crossed the line of respect your fellow man. It told our fellow man commit violence to me or my people and we will respond in kind and not in love. Dr. King was about love, bringing people together not building a justification to physically get violent with police.
One the issue of police violence against black men. I wonder how many black police officers would allow other black citizens to give them a lot of back talk when they get stopped. Why do we think police are perfect machines without any emotions, don't come to work with problems on their minds. We have to respect police officers initally on our first contacts.
I spent 50 months in Iraq and would not allow any civilian walk around me with a weapon without me watching his every move. Not because I do not like their nationality but not wanting to get shot. Police do a dangerous job. People in this country do not respect the law and will think nothing of shooting a police officer. My dad raised me in the NAACP and he was a president in our city for a good length of time. He told me and my brothers not to commit any crimes and come home because he will turn us in himself. His point was nothing excuses us breaking the law. Nothing.
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1LT (Join to see)
SSG Dwight Amey, we are living in the BET era where the corruption of minds is the fashion! People are taking for granted what many have fought for and obtained through cries, sweat and blood! All that matters today is talking about enjoying freedom as if it is just something you are entitled to in this world. One thing, I have understood living in this world is that a wrong definition of freedom can lead people or even an entire nation on the path of destruction. The humanistic redefinition of freedom as presented and supported by the media and especially some black media is scary to me! Even Dr King would flip in his grave. May his soul rest in peace!
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SSG Dwight Amey MSA, MSL, BS, AS
SPC(P) Joe Beyssac, I agree, the BET era is not a movement celebrating our diversity, but in some cases used as a platform to express hatred and contempt towards all white people when the broad brush is the wrong tool. In the process we are going back in time. Love and respect is the first thing we need to do to slow down the trajectory we are speeding towards going back to segregation. The crazy thing we will be doing the separating ourselves!!
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MLK had a dream.....the new question should be what is OUR dream? I fully support and agree with what he said years ago, but if we continue to "only" speak of a dream (that is still relevant) but isn't acknowledging the issues of today, we're going to miss some important points. What is OUR dream for today? I've played as a child with other kids of ALL skin tones. As an adult I drank from the same fountain a white man did, I was in an unsegregated military, and fought alongside men and women who did NOT have the same skin color as me, didn't like my music, and in some rare cases, didn't like me due to my skin. But we still came together to complete the mission, and while doing it, race, sex, skin color, nothing mattered. So with many hills run over and conquered through MLK's dream, when are we going to climb that mountain and lay that flag of peace and harmony on top, and descend with the knowledge to make ALL on equal footing regardless of the usual stereotypes? What is OUR dream today?
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1LT (Join to see)
There is still a long way to go, SSG Warren Swan! The wisest man that ever walked the earth said, "the harvest is plenty, but few are the laborers." I believe once we start to put aside anything that can help our self-gratification and self-glorification, then we will start holding to climb the hill, the strong ahead pulling the weak without distinction of sex, race or religion! Love is the key. But who is ready, in our country devoured by the cancer of pride, to sacrifice in the name of love. The present deception about civil rights is leading many astray and on the path of destruction. There have been a lot of compromises that only benefits few, not many!
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I think there is a still a strong majority who are living his dream now, where as they don't judge others by their skin color but by their character. With that said, I think he would not be happy today with where we are at as a whole country, nor where the black community is or with how politically correct everything has become. I have studied Dr. King and I find his work and his message inspiring, powerful and above all possible. Unfortunately, his message has been scued to shit by people like Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and any racist group out there (black panther, kkk, white nationalists, etc.). You add that with a nation wide since of entitlement by most Americans and it is only a matter of time before the voices of those who live the dream are silcened by those wanting to live a nightmare.
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