My heart is very much with Dr. King on this day. (Yes, I know his actual birthday is the 15th, but I think of him more easily on the official holiday.) I have done diaries on this day in the past, and devoted the entire diary to him, as that is always worthwhile. I had something else planned for today, but have still been thinking about Dr. King, in part because I am thinking of Reverend Barber. (My original plan for the diary has had to be postponed for another time.)
More below.
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I know I am not the first to think about Reverend Barber when the subject turns to Dr. King. Dr. King has left a brilliant legacy, with words and wisdom that can help us in so many difficult situations.
But Reverend Barber is here now. And he is deeply committed to using the power of love to make our world better. I love him for that. I love that he is here with us now.
About two years ago, I was interested to hear Reverend Barber answer questions about the magnitude of the political crisis we face today, with the most unqualified individual in the history of country ‘leading.’ At the suggestion that this was the worst thing our country had ever faced, he demurred. He said that it wasn’t the worst thing, by long measure, and that we would get through it, which I found reassuring. He mentioned the struggles faced by civil rights groups over many decades, with lynchings common. Clear voices like his were quickly silenced, civil rights were dramatically and brutally suppressed, to the extent they existed at all. It isn’t an experience that many of us, so privileged, have ever had, so naturally we couldn’t relate to it as clearly as he can.
That Reverend Barber experience - all so incredibly precious to me! - was right at the beginning of this hideous administration. I have to think that things have gotten worse than when Reverend Barber spoke to us. Validation of racists by this administration, indeed, even encouragement and enabling of them, is already much worse than I suspected it would be. Racial police behavior, profiling, even seemingly sanctioned executions of innocent suspects is much worse than I expected. It is a very real and difficult problem, one that isn’t likely to disappear immediately once our party begins the long process of setting things right - not least because of the stacking of the courts with overt racists and unqualified judges, up to and including the Supreme Court. And, as bad as the Supreme Court looks, there is nothing that says this a$$hole can’t get two MORE nominations before his prison term begins.
I have been dealing with some personal issues over the past couple of months. But a different problem is dealing with the outraged sense of justice I usually handle better. I’m very frustrated with and by the outrageous things happening these days. I am angered by them. I am more … reactive than I like to be.
It prompted me to go back and look at a Top Comments diary I wrote in 2012, about the ‘Metal Fatigue Theory of Politics.’ Metal fatigues under repeated stress, so do we. Sometimes, reading thoughts from an earlier generation of ourselves can help us with present-day challenges. I need the help.
Thanks for reading! On to tonight’s comments!
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From MikeTheLiberal:
Nominating this poem by Sue DeNym from Tom Tomorrow’s cartoon Cartoon: On and on and on. Because panel two deserves more attention. :D
If you read only one diary today, read this comment from Eric Nelson in the actual diary from Bethesda 1971, AM Joy Will Not Tolerate "Both Sides" Coverage on the Shutdown (or Anything). More of this, please. In it, Eric brings up several good point, and many supporting links, showing the utter foolishness of “both-siderism”.
From Tamar:
Excellent comment by Empty Vessel about how we should be discussing all the terrific Democratic presidential candidates and potential candidates here on Daily Kos.
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