Comments on: The Right-Wing Misuse of MLK (Actually, if you say you saw the Patriots win the World Series, it means you’re a liar) http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2007/12/21/the-right-wing-misuse-of-mlk-actually-if-you-say-you-saw-the-patriots-win-the-world-series-it-means-youre-a-liar/ Feminist, anti-racist, pro-fat, plus whatever else we feel like talking about. Sat, 05 Jul 2008 12:31:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Ginger Root http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2007/12/21/the-right-wing-misuse-of-mlk-actually-if-you-say-you-saw-the-patriots-win-the-world-series-it-means-youre-a-liar/#comment-314092 Ginger Root Thu, 27 Dec 2007 19:31:04 +0000 http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2007/12/21/the-right-wing-misuse-of-mlk-actually-if-you-say-you-saw-the-patriots-win-the-world-series-it-means-youre-a-liar/#comment-314092 President Huckabee - here we come! President Huckabee - here we come!

]]> By: Andrew R. http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2007/12/21/the-right-wing-misuse-of-mlk-actually-if-you-say-you-saw-the-patriots-win-the-world-series-it-means-youre-a-liar/#comment-313925 Andrew R. Mon, 24 Dec 2007 16:06:21 +0000 http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2007/12/21/the-right-wing-misuse-of-mlk-actually-if-you-say-you-saw-the-patriots-win-the-world-series-it-means-youre-a-liar/#comment-313925 This treatment of MLK is the natural result of what happens when you turn someone into a secular saint. Of course if you make someone the kind of figure you learn about in elementary school classrooms, then any kind of controversy is going to be rubbed off. MLK the VietCong sympathizer isn't in the elementary school classroom for the same reason that Jefferson rogering his favorite slave on French furniture he couldn't afford isn't. So it's only natural that saying, "I approve of Doctor King" in our current political discourse is the equivalent of saying, "I approve of puppies." And that's a *good* thing. Yes, King the social democrat may have been lost, but enshrining a black man who fought for civil rights in the pantheon of civic saints can only be good in its effects on race relations. In my elementary school music class in the early 1980's in a small Texas town we sang about how Martin Luther King "died for you and me to save this land" in music class. More time has passed between me singing that in elementary school music class and now than passed between a time when black people in the deep south could be beaten and killed with impunity and when elementary school children of my generation were taught about King in those terms. And at least reason for such a rapid acceptance (at least at a surface level) of black (and Mexican) equality with less resistance than one might expect was because of the hagiographical treatment of King. Hmm... That all sounds much more Straussian/Bloomian than I'd meant it to, but I think my point stands. This treatment of MLK is the natural result of what happens when you turn someone into a secular saint. Of course if you make someone the kind of figure you learn about in elementary school classrooms, then any kind of controversy is going to be rubbed off. MLK the VietCong sympathizer isn’t in the elementary school classroom for the same reason that Jefferson rogering his favorite slave on French furniture he couldn’t afford isn’t.

So it’s only natural that saying, “I approve of Doctor King” in our current political discourse is the equivalent of saying, “I approve of puppies.”

And that’s a *good* thing. Yes, King the social democrat may have been lost, but enshrining a black man who fought for civil rights in the pantheon of civic saints can only be good in its effects on race relations. In my elementary school music class in the early 1980’s in a small Texas town we sang about how Martin Luther King “died for you and me to save this land” in music class. More time has passed between me singing that in elementary school music class and now than passed between a time when black people in the deep south could be beaten and killed with impunity and when elementary school children of my generation were taught about King in those terms. And at least reason for such a rapid acceptance (at least at a surface level) of black (and Mexican) equality with less resistance than one might expect was because of the hagiographical treatment of King.

Hmm… That all sounds much more Straussian/Bloomian than I’d meant it to, but I think my point stands.

]]> By: David Schraub http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2007/12/21/the-right-wing-misuse-of-mlk-actually-if-you-say-you-saw-the-patriots-win-the-world-series-it-means-youre-a-liar/#comment-313786 David Schraub Sat, 22 Dec 2007 07:00:17 +0000 http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2007/12/21/the-right-wing-misuse-of-mlk-actually-if-you-say-you-saw-the-patriots-win-the-world-series-it-means-youre-a-liar/#comment-313786 Remember: MLK is only a good civil rights leader <a href="http://dsadevil.blogspot.com/2007/10/why-is-only-good-civil-rights-leader.html" rel="nofollow">because he's a dead civil rights leader</a>. Remember: MLK is only a good civil rights leader because he’s a dead civil rights leader.

]]> By: Kevin Moore http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2007/12/21/the-right-wing-misuse-of-mlk-actually-if-you-say-you-saw-the-patriots-win-the-world-series-it-means-youre-a-liar/#comment-313778 Kevin Moore Sat, 22 Dec 2007 03:10:51 +0000 http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2007/12/21/the-right-wing-misuse-of-mlk-actually-if-you-say-you-saw-the-patriots-win-the-world-series-it-means-youre-a-liar/#comment-313778 Glad to see the update, Barry. I was listening to the fuller story on NPR while picking up the kids. What struck me is that Romney had no reason to exaggerate his father's Civil Rights advocacy; it was pretty solid. As the reporter on NPR noted (as has a great piece on Romney in the New Yorker), this is part of a larger pattern of behavior, exaggerating to the point of falsehood claims that without exaggeration would be perfectly suitable, at least for his intended audience. Few Republican baseheads would disagree with his stance to keep Guantanamo open; but what the hell does "double Guantanamo" mean? He's got a real "my dick is bigger" syndrome. Glad to see the update, Barry. I was listening to the fuller story on NPR while picking up the kids. What struck me is that Romney had no reason to exaggerate his father’s Civil Rights advocacy; it was pretty solid. As the reporter on NPR noted (as has a great piece on Romney in the New Yorker), this is part of a larger pattern of behavior, exaggerating to the point of falsehood claims that without exaggeration would be perfectly suitable, at least for his intended audience. Few Republican baseheads would disagree with his stance to keep Guantanamo open; but what the hell does “double Guantanamo” mean? He’s got a real “my dick is bigger” syndrome.

]]> By: Kevin Moore http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2007/12/21/the-right-wing-misuse-of-mlk-actually-if-you-say-you-saw-the-patriots-win-the-world-series-it-means-youre-a-liar/#comment-313756 Kevin Moore Fri, 21 Dec 2007 22:45:16 +0000 http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2007/12/21/the-right-wing-misuse-of-mlk-actually-if-you-say-you-saw-the-patriots-win-the-world-series-it-means-youre-a-liar/#comment-313756 Add this to his <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,264026,00.html" rel="nofollow">earlier claim</a> that he has been "a hunter all my life." As an aside, there is something deliciously ironic in posting a link here to a story on FOXNews. But they can't be wrong ALL the time. :-) Add this to his earlier claim that he has been “a hunter all my life.”

As an aside, there is something deliciously ironic in posting a link here to a story on FOXNews. But they can’t be wrong ALL the time. :-)

]]> By: Robert http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2007/12/21/the-right-wing-misuse-of-mlk-actually-if-you-say-you-saw-the-patriots-win-the-world-series-it-means-youre-a-liar/#comment-313752 Robert Fri, 21 Dec 2007 22:02:46 +0000 http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2007/12/21/the-right-wing-misuse-of-mlk-actually-if-you-say-you-saw-the-patriots-win-the-world-series-it-means-youre-a-liar/#comment-313752 I agree that Mitt is lying here. He's doing it stupidly, too, it would have been easy to just say "You know, I had the impression that he had actually marched with MLK because of how involved Dad was in the civil rights movement, but now I'm given to understand that he didn't. What's important to know is that just as my father, I share a commitment to..." blah blah blah. I agree that Mitt is lying here. He’s doing it stupidly, too, it would have been easy to just say “You know, I had the impression that he had actually marched with MLK because of how involved Dad was in the civil rights movement, but now I’m given to understand that he didn’t. What’s important to know is that just as my father, I share a commitment to…” blah blah blah.

]]> By: Bjartmarr http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2007/12/21/the-right-wing-misuse-of-mlk-actually-if-you-say-you-saw-the-patriots-win-the-world-series-it-means-youre-a-liar/#comment-313751 Bjartmarr Fri, 21 Dec 2007 22:00:07 +0000 http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2007/12/21/the-right-wing-misuse-of-mlk-actually-if-you-say-you-saw-the-patriots-win-the-world-series-it-means-youre-a-liar/#comment-313751 What you don't understand, Amp, is that Mitt didn't actually lie. In order for it to be a lie, he would have had to be a Democrat, and he would have had to have been talking about sex. What you don’t understand, Amp, is that Mitt didn’t actually lie. In order for it to be a lie, he would have had to be a Democrat, and he would have had to have been talking about sex.

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