Will We Make It?
It's 5.20pm here in City of Angels and although there are several hours left before the day is officially over I am quietly confident that I will not need the shotgun after all. It's a shame because I spent the better part of the weekend polishing it, putting it away, getting it out again and polishing it some more.
I've been monitoring the news all day and so far, at least to my knowledge, we haven't had any "officer related shootings" or "excessive" uses of force that may cause social unrest. Violations of civil rights such as these have occasionally resulted in riots. Thankfully this has not been the case as it would just spoil the celebratory mood and isn't really in the spirit of the day.
I'm glad that the memory of Dr.King has not been tarnished although I could use a new portable telly (preferably colour) for the caravan or an alarm clock that makes you a brew, in fact there is many a luxury item on my "want list" and a civil disturbance would surely afford me the opportunity to cross a few of them off. This doesn't mean that I advocate the looting of retail stores at the drop of a hat. There would have to be a really good reason with which I identified and that I was prepared to defy the law for. When I think of the words of MLK, here are a few that I agree with:
"I'm concerned about justice. I'm concerned about brotherhood. I'm concerned about truth. And when one is concerned about these, he can never advocate violence. For through violence you may murder a murderer but you can't murder murder. Through violence you may murder a liar but you can't establish truth. Through violence you may murder a hater, but you can't murder hate. Darkness cannot put out darkness. Only light can do that."
It's a bit deep, and he may have been stoned or had a few jars before he said it but when you think about it he's right and you can't really argue with it, especially the bit about darkness and light. I would have to say though that I would have added "darkness can also put out light". Maybe he did have that bit in there but dropped it at the last minute to avoid confusing stupid people.
Anyway, as far as I'm concerned, anybody who gets me a paid day off work is alright so fair play to him. Dr. Martin Luther King - I salute you.
"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools"
8 comments:
You know, I've got a bunch of family who are melanin-rich like the good doctor. I'm pretty glad that I have that element in my life because they really are a good crowd. And the good Doctor King deserves to be honored with a national holiday, I just wish that it trickled down to my profession... which for the record is largely dominated by priviliged caucasion men who haven't had to scrap for much in this world. So in salute to Dr. King and all the darkies in my family, I say, 'Down with whitey!' At least the ones doling out the paid holidays at my company.
Fresh Hell - If it was up to me, there would be certain holidays that would be mandatory, meaning that with the exception of certain vital professions (law enforcement, medicine etc), everyone gets the day off work. MLK day would be one of them. Unfortunately, this is where we get into muddy waters,and I don't mean the going out buying the back catalogue of the legendary blues singer. Being a democratic society, driven by our economy and constitution, it will never happen, it should, just like nobody should have to work Thanksgiving or Christmas Day, we should probably also get Yom Kippur and Cinco De Mayo but we aren't quite there yet. The reason my company took away Presidents Day and gave us MLK was because they thought it more appropriate to celebrate and honour diversity & equality than some dead prez, and I agree 100%. The other(unofficial) reason is because on MLK day, a sizeable percentage of our employees called in sick, which no matter which way you slice it is non violent protest, exactly what the good Doctor ordered. I always try to find humour in things, no matter how perverse it may seem to others because at the end of the day we do what we can to better deal with life. I don't get angry, I (try to) get funny.
Lambent - If I wasn't anti-censorship I would have deleted your comment....you shandy drinking southern twat.
Well, I can only hope that no one took it seriously. If they did, they're stupid.
I'm glad you're anti-censorship. The amount of comments I write that people delete disgusts me.
Just in case anyone did take it seriously, I've self-censored. I hope this is OK.
Lambent - It's all part of the fun of blogging. This is why we do what we do, right? No worries.
If white people loot its called taking the initiative, that's what Katrina (and the waves) says . Doon with whitey and let ma people go go.
MLK, sounds like a drink, I'll have one.
Yeah, I don't get President's day either and that smarts my ass because it usually falls on my Birthday weekend. DAMMITT!!!
Old Knudsen: I'd belly up for an MLK along side you.
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