Shot rings out in the Memphis Sky

Thanks to my friend Traci, I've decided to get back into blogging again... at least occasionally.

Since yesterday, I've been thinking a lot about MLK Jr's life and legacy. It's pretty cool that the Obama campaign is happening around the time of this 40 year milestone.

Memphis Magazine has a great timeline piece about the assasination here called "31 hours and 28 minutes" (the amount of time King was in Memphis before being shot).

It should come as no surprise, but I was still shocked by how little the church leaders were able to accomplish:

1:30 p.m. — Rev. Frank McRae convenes a meeting at St. Mary's Episcopal
Church between members of the city's black and white clergy. The conciliatory
atmosphere deteriorates immediately when Temple Israel's Rabbi James Wax says,
"We need to limit this discussion to find out what the issues are." Another
minister remembers that prominent NAACP leader and AME pastor Ralph Jackson
"just came unwound, saying, 'I thought at long last my white brothers had
decided to help their poor black brothers. You not only tricked me, you insult
me by saying what we're going to discuss is what the issues are. . . . We've had
thirteen hundred starving families. That's the issue.'" An older white minister
tries to maintain order and begins, "Now, my dear brethren, you've got to be
Christian about this. We must love. If our 'nigra' brethren . . . ." He is cut
off by the Rev. Ezekiel Bell, pastor of Parkway Gardens Presbyterian Church, who
lectures him, "The word N-E-G-R-O is not nigra, it's 'knee-grow.' You ministers
talk about love, and black people can't even get into the doors of your
churches." After an hour of bickering, the meeting comes to an end.

I remember being in high school and college and thinking that MLK's holiday was BS. Now I can't imagine NOT having a holiday for him. I would argue it's more important to honor someone who stressed non-violence and equality and began to end oppression, than it is to honor rich explorers.

"Sleep..... sleep tonight, and may your dreams be realized."