On Coretta Scott King's Funeral
| By TKeck - Feb 8th, 2006 at 2:15 am EST |
This may sound crude or crass, but what the hell were the Bush's doing at Coretta's Scott King's funeral? Does anybody think they care about racism, poverty or stopping war? Of course not, yet these were the very issues which defined the King family. I felt the same way, when Bush spoke on MLK's birthday. I mean come on, anyone can see its a PR move. The republican party is attempting to reach out to the black vote, which has no reason to vote republican. Only 10% of African-Americans voted for Bush in the last election.
And then republicans have the nerve to call Joseph Lowery's comments innapropriate and disrespectful. Apparently, it was inpolite to remember the politics of a VERY political family, and one that stood in stark contrast to the politics of the Bush Administration. Its fine if the Bush family wants to make an appearance, its just ridiculous that the republicans are complaining that the president was made to feel uncomfortable. After all, it was SOMEBODY ELSE'S service, and that somebody had a social conscience and a sense of compassion--something the president has yet to develop.
And then republicans have the nerve to call Joseph Lowery's comments innapropriate and disrespectful. Apparently, it was inpolite to remember the politics of a VERY political family, and one that stood in stark contrast to the politics of the Bush Administration. Its fine if the Bush family wants to make an appearance, its just ridiculous that the republicans are complaining that the president was made to feel uncomfortable. After all, it was SOMEBODY ELSE'S service, and that somebody had a social conscience and a sense of compassion--something the president has yet to develop.
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This was a funeral!!!! Not a polictal stage, yet some people took advantage of the opporunity with the media being present to take cheap shots instead of paying their respects to Mrs. King. Lets talk about what she did and not about what is going on right now.
Funerals are ways for all to pay respect to the dead and not a polictal stage.
Lets stop all the hate and give Mrs. King the respect she is due.
And as far as President Carter goes.... Who really cares what he says. This is the worst President this country has ever had and a man who last week said we should give money to Hammas. A man who supports people such as Hugo Chaves and Fidel Castro. i think he is a little off on his world view and is not taken very seriously.
Let's reflect on Mrs. King did for Civil rights and the betterment of OUR country.
Mark
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I also think it was appropriate for Bush to be there, though -- like you said, it was about showing respect. But all the more reason for the eulogies to connect King's life work to the specific and systematic ways the Bush Administration is undermining it.
Thank you
Mark
Gay marriage--Coretta supported vocally. Bush opposes vocally.
Illegal wiretapping--Coretta and Martin were illegally tapped, Bush supports illegal wiretapping.
Education--Bush's budget cuts financial aid, lessens funding to local districts.
Civil rights enforcement--Bush has cut funding in real dollars for the six departments in charge of civil rights enforcement (Labor, Education, HHS, Justice, HUD and EEOC).
Employment discrimination--The "faith-based initiative" allows employers to circumvent restrictions under the Civil Rights Act.
Native American Health Care--dropping like a stone (though it's never been great).
Judges--Bush nominated Charles Pickering, who lessened the sentences for cross-burners.
Here's a page of reports from the US Commission on Civil Rights. I highly suggest you read as many of these reports as you can. Link (some of the really fun reports have been removed from the site--I put in a request for them, and should have some to report back about shortly)
Also a couple more rollbacks on civil rights to be mentioned. After Hurricane Katrina, Bush attempted to galvanize support for cutting the minimum wage rate on the gulf coast, stated as way to help restart the economy in greater New Orleans. Yet, we all know this would have exacerbated the inequalities already apparent. Even though the federal minimum wage hardly represents a living wage, cutting it even further in the gulf coast would have been a major assault on the civil rights movement. And then there is also the republican ideological opposition to collective bargaining, something which was widely recognized as a fundamental human right on this past Human Rights Day.
And finally the death penalty. Coretta was vehemently opposed to the death penalty. According to the The Nation," As Governor of Texas, George W. Bush was the most active executioner in the nation, killing on average one prisoner every other week (The Nation, January 8-15, 2001)."
No matter how anyone tries to spin it, the Bushs and the Kings were on polar opposites of the political spectrum. Bush represents the very things the Kings deplored and spoke out against.
Tell me where the president supports "Illegal" wire-tapping. If you mean listening to phone calls from supected terrorist, this is not illegal. Read what Congress authourized.
More Blacks own homes now than ever before.
More blacks hold executive postions in the corporate world than any time before.
More college degrees
Greater high school graduation rate.
And on and on.
PLEASE!!!!!!!!!
You are correct on several things, but these things are not true.
And who had more minorities on their staff.... Clinton or Bush?
Seems to me 1 president is pushing more for equal rights than the other.
Matter of fact, Clinton had no minorities on his staff even when he was Governor.
Coretta said that. She also said
So, in other words, you understand nothing about Coretta Scott King or what "civil rights" really means. But keep on swingin' for the stars, kid.
Listening in on citizens' conversations without a court order is illegal, except in the first 72 hours of the tap with reasonable suspicion and in the first 15 days after a war begins. The law is clear. It's not my fault if you're too stupid to read it. Congress never authorized anything different than the FISA statute. Show me ANY act of Congress authorizing what you say, and I'll start taking you seriously (you idiot).
What you're citing is progress made since desegregation and acting like Bush is responsible. What you miss are things like, since Bush took office, poverty rates have increased every year. Both Kings considered anti-poverty work as civil rights work, so either present a counterpoint or give up trying to hijack their memories. The numbers on staff is what you look for in determing a commitment to civil rights? You're not only an idiot, but you're a superficial one at that.
Really, I can't be anything but dismissive of you, because you come here, rant and roar, offer nothing of substance, offer no evidence to back up your claims, and make idiotic and vapid statements. Do us a favor--log off, walk your ass to the library, and GET SMARTER. If you want to debate actual facts and issues, fine. If not, quit wasting our time.
Want to talk about what she did? She fought for equal rights for gay Americans, and if Joe Lowery hadn't mentioned homophobia in his eulogy nobody would have.
She fought for peace and against this war. Should they have not mentioned that, even though it was one of her passions?
She spoke out against the death penalty--oddly, I can't recall any of the speakers touching on this one.
You cannot pay true respect to someone dedicated to activism without taking up their banner when they fall.
As for Jimmy Carter, that man did more for Middle Eastern peace in his 4 years than Reagan, Bush and Bush did in their combined 18. What he said about the Palestinian elections is that, if we're really about supporting democracy, we should respect those governments that are democratically elected. If you don't understand that, I think that would explain much about the superficial analysis so many Bush supporters give to the concept of democratization.
When do we get fundng from other countries? NEVER!!!!!
President Carter.....
11% interest on home loans.
Gas lines.
Inflation in double didgits.
Sounds like I want him back in office. I would like to re-fi my home loan and pay 11% on the loan. Love waiting in line for gas.
But I see that you left Mr.Bill ( "I did not have sexual relations with that girl") Clinton off the list of Middle east Peace.
Ohh that's right he was too busy giving away our missle secrets to China than to worry about bin Laden when the Sudan offered him up TWICE!!!!!!!
Must have forgoten that part.
Mr Carter was a joke as a president. He is a very nice guy doing lots of good things too( habitat for humanity and such) but a joke as a leader.
Trust me, President Bush upsets me more than he does you, But at least we have not been attacked on our own soil in the last 5 yrs.
Thank God ( I hope the ACLU deosn't see this. I feel a lawsuit coming) for that.
Mark
HAMAS (one 'M', again, Joe's rule is in effect) has been democratically elected to lead the Palestinian government. Either we accept the outcome of a democratic election and work with the victors (note: that can include demanding they renounce violence against Israel, dumbass), or we can stop pushing for democratization. It's an either-or situation. Get over yourself.
I left Clinton off the list because he was the one that led the negotiations between Israel and the PLO. But you don't remember that, because, well, you're an idiot. Just like you don't remember that Clinton tried several times to kill bin Laden, years before 9/11.
Here's a question: how many times did al Qaeda attack us on US soil during Clinton's term? How many times during Bush's term? Are you giving Clinton the credit he deserves? I mean, after the WTC bombing, al Qaeda didn't successfully attack the US again during Bill Clinton's presidency (in fact, we foiled quite a few attempts--remember the plot to bomb Seattle on New Years' 2000 that was stopped?). But you ignore that, because by the standards you set you'd have to give Clinton some actual credit for a job well done, and admit that Bush isn't the God of Anti-Terrorism you'd like to think he is.
My main point, though, is you're an idiot. And I thank you for continually reinforcing that point.
And yeah the part about the ACLU? Why is it that conservatives will never fail to bring in the ACLU, as if pairing liberals/progressives and the ACLU together is somehow an insult. I am damn proud of the ACLU right now.