According to Vincent Gordon Harding, what was the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.?

source: “King as Disturber of the Peace” in Major Problems in American History Since 1945

Martin Luther King Jr. is revered as a great orator and leader of the Civil Rights movement proclaiming nonviolence and civil disobedience. He is remembered most for his dream of black and white children playing together in the freedom of civil rights victory. Vincent Gordon Harding proclaims King to be so much more. Harding states, “Americans have chosen amnesia rather than continue King’s painful, uncharted, and often disruptive struggle toward a more perfect union (267).” The legacy of King is the groundwork of that struggle.

King made the choice to not just lobby for change. He made the choice to not just give speeches and organize marches. Harding describes the choice King made as one of determination and one of action. King committed himself to the cause of civil rights and to the betterment of life for poor citizens in America. He was willing to do more than just talk. King was willing to get in the trenches to lead the fight and fight along side those he tried to encourage. He was also aware of the growing discontent of African American youth and the attitude of the changing culture.

Black youth were more heavily affected by the rise in unemployment in cities such as Detroit. They saw little hope for a better life and altered their life goals accordingly. Many did not aspire to higher than what can be described as survival. The same youth questioned the nonviolence approach of Martin Luther King Jr. Harding explains that they did not understand why he preached a love of both black and white when so many African Americans did not even love themselves. There was a building rage among the youth that King, according to Harding, was aware of (268).

Harding describes a King that was not only determined to insight change, but a King that was willing to face the chaos that such change would bring. King wanted to see more than just doors opened for middle America. King wanted the poor to be lifted from their economic struggle, and to do so required American society to change. King began to challenge the mainstream of American life. In such challenge both black and white were uncomfortable. Many, of whom Harding refers to as respectable blacks, considered King’s aggressive push for societal change a threat to the professional gains they had made. King’s changes were based on negative assessment of the American economic order, a stance against the capitalism that did not uplift the poor in America (268).

Martin Luther King Jr. was a voice for change and had a vision of mobilizing the poor in America to liberate themselves from the plight of poverty. Harding reports King’s insistence that “the problem of racism, the problem of economic exploitation, and the problem of war are all tied together (269).” These are referred to as the triple evils. In order to overcome the triple evils a revamping of American society must take place. King called for a values revolution in America with the redistribution of American political and economic power to aid the poor (269).

Harding quotes a poem by Carl Wendell Hines stating “dead men . . . cannot rise to challenge the images we would fashion from their lives . . . it is easier to build monuments than to make a better world (266).” There is certainly an element of truth to Hines’ poem. When discussing the Civil Rights movement in America Martin Luther King Jr. is at the forefront, almost exclusive to all others. He is the first black man to receive national recognition in the form of a holiday. In this recognition many of his disruptive beliefs are lost in the grandeur of his accomplishments in the deep South. He is known for his accomplishments, with the disruption of struggle forgotten. Anything of such pivotal importance and extreme social reform will create disruption and will be a struggle. Kings’ legacy is the reminder of this struggle and the necessary fight for desired change. In the remembrance of King it is the struggle that Harding describes as part of the amnesia America faces.

According to Harding, the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. is the vision of a society based on social, political, and economic equality. The legacy of action, not mere words. Martin Luther King Jr. was not only a good orator; he was a man willing to take the necessary action to organize and insight change. He was willing to not only speak about change and organize for change, he was willing to risk himself for it. He knew and understood the likelihood of his demise. His awareness of the growing frustrations in a changing America encouraged his revolutionary hope for American society. Harding stresses it is this hope that historians must embrace and revive awareness for.

i have procrastinated again. typical me. my essays and bibliography paper are due december 7th. i have 4 mini essays to write and a 15 book annotated bib. i’m working on the first of the remaining four now. ok, i’m not…i’m blogging instead. i can’t focus. i can’t stay on track and i am so burnt out! i haven’t even selected a topic for the bib. i think the bombing of hiroshima and nagasaki. there should be a ton of material on that and it will be interesting. 15 books, one paragraph each…i can do that. but i will have a ton of teaching junk to do this week too. argh! why do i do this to myself? the essays are actually really interesting. check compchaos sometime. i’ve enjoyed the 3 i’ve completed. (7 are required) the next is on MLK’s legacy according to one guy. i need to focus. i can type up a 3-4 page paper in no time if i would just do it! again i come back to the wisdom of james mcpherson…the hardest part about writing is getting started. so true!

thanksgiving was great. wonderful dinner then i went shopping with my aunt. finished shopping for kids, woohoo! we came home yesterday and got to work on our bedroom furniture. djembe helped me stain it. i can’t wait to have the house redo finished. it is just a busy time of year. he has several Christmas gigs lined up and I will playing one with him. i need to be playing more than i am and get my endurance up.

i know it will all come together. there is no other option. so much to do…so little time. *sigh*

keep encouraging me jem, i do appreciate it! ~*~

The Great Depression altered the way Americans viewed the responsibilities of the national government. Out of desperation Americans turned to the government seeking help, seeking a fix to the nation’s problem. This was not a new response, but it was much more widespread as the Great Depression touched lives from coast to coast, in every state and every city. In the 1960s President Johnson expanded the role of the government even further with a series of programs enacted to address concerns of health, housing, and education. President Johnson declared war on poverty. To many, the nations poor were invisible. It was easier than ever for the nations poor to blend in with the middle class, and for the middle and upper classes to turn a blind eye to the realities of poverty. It was President Johnson’s goal “to help each and every American citizen fulfill his basic hopes (219).” According to Johnson, the symptoms, not cause, of poverty were unemployment and low income. By giving the poor a boost with “entitlement” programs society in America would see improvement. The “war on poverty” was only one aspect of Johnson’s plan. Other programs were created to combat the symptoms of poverty.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed to outlaw literacy tests for the sake of qualifying voters. The 15th Amendment guaranteed the right to vote to everyone despite race. However, those wishing to discriminate against African-American voters argued that the party primaries were private and therefore not under the jurisdiction of the 15th Amendment. Primaries are tied to voting despite the individual party nature. Therefore, it seems primary voting should fall under the requirements of the 15th Amendment. Despite the seeming redundancy, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a positive step in the pursuit of civil rights.
Another program created in Johnson’s Great Society was HUD, or the Department of Housing and Urban Development. HUD was founded for the purpose of developing and executing policy concerning housing and cities. The scope of HUD has been narrowed to focus mainly on housing offering special mortgage loans to those who would not qualify for a conventional loan, allowing more to pursue home ownership. Also dealing with civil rights and health, this branch pushed the Fair Housing and Equal opportunity housing to deter discrimination while also raising awareness to the hazards of lead. Certainly a positive aspect of the Great Society, however, like many programs, there is an element of the population that is left out of the assistance equation, the true middle. The true middle class do not qualify for assistance nor can they pursue such advantages at their current level.
The element of good works and society’s helping hand is taken away by programs such as VISTA, Volunteers in Service to America. Although a good deed for enriching communities across America in areas such as educational improvements and vocational training, it is not without the expectation of reward. Volunteers received a $10, 000 stipend, health coverage, post-service transitional wage, and educational rewards. Rather than seeking individuals to help their neighbor without the expectation of profit, and encouraging true community involvement, tax dollars were spent to pay volunteers. It is not a volunteer service if profit is gained.
Other programs, although beneficial to some, undermine the public educational system. For example Job Corps offers employment training, GED, and pursuit of high school diplomas to disadvantaged youth. It is certainly well intended to push the importance of education and job skills. However, disadvantaged youth could be better served by funding these programs through the already created public educational system by funding education at a level allowing for the vocational training of at-risk youth. Upward bound is another educational program preparing youth for the responsibilities of adulthood. Upward bound targets intelligent youth who are from low-income, rural, or first generation college candidates, training them for college success and offering incentives. It seems there is an overlap in government expenditure since the target group is considered the intelligent segment. If intelligent and doing well academically they would qualify for scholarships for college. Another education program targets a much younger audience, preschoolers. Head Start was created to prepare children of low-income families the opportunity to prepare for the social and educational demands of the public school system.
Although wonderful programs for meeting the needs of low-income and poverty stricken families there is a segment of the population that is left hanging out to dry, the true middle class. That group of the population that does not qualify for aid, but is one major setback away from falling into poverty. The group that is just barely getting by, and whose high school senior will not qualify for government aid to college, nor does the family have the funding. Furthermore many programs remove the work ethic of earning one’s rewards. Instead, rewards are handed out without expectation of return. Entitlements decrease the drive for self-improvement while increasing expectation, while allowing those in the middle to fall through the cracks. Many programs are also created with only short term funding in mind. Once created they are expected to continue and create much dispute when reduced or cut, Medicaid and Medicare being excellent examples. When created, funding for these medical programs was to be shared by the states and the federal government. Now they are a source of budget contention as states struggle to meet the massive need of medical assistance.
Despite being a noble goal, fulfilling the basic hopes of all America is not feasible in a capitalist society. Inevitably there will be haves and have nots. Extensive entitlements remove incentive, and decrease drive. With expectations of a government caretaker there is less initiative for private assistance organizations. There is also an overlap in assistance and the oversight of system abuse. The documents in Major Problems in American History indicate instances where families were better served by divorcing and receiving government aid in place of the husbands meager income. Critics such as Reagan quote Plutarch, warning “The real destroyer of the liberties of the people is he who spreads among them bounties, donations, and benefits (221).” In “From Opportunity to Entitlement,” Gareth Davies explains the changing definition of independence. Instead of self-sufficiency, through the growth of “entitlements” independence came to mean freedom from want, even with government dependence. Although assistance is not a negative for a society, when allowed to become expected, it fosters a dependence that cannot be erased and is detrimental to that society.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Have you thought about what you are thankful for?

I am thankful for:

my husband, who loves me despite me.

my children, who drive me crazy, but make me smile .

my pets, who also drive me nuts, but make me smile.

good health.

my family, who could drive anyone crazy, haha! they are truly a wonderful bunch that welcome with open arms, encourage, and support.

my job, because it helps us make ends meet.

our home, because it is ours to do with as we choose.

the beauty of nature that allows a moment of reflection at the changing leaves, or a beautiful sunset.

enjoy life, seek the beauty it has to offer. be thankful for what you have.

“if you want for nothing you will never be disappointed” my gran.

kontan jou!

Djembe left for Nashville yesterday and I embarked on a 2 day attempt to finish our youngest daughter’s bedroom. I was successful, but did not make the deadline of Djembe’s return. I wanted to surprise him with one room finished. First, I shoveled (literally) all of the girls’ belongings into the foyer. I pushed the bed and computer to the center of the room, then prepared to paint. The girls were so excited. They wanted to help paint, but the thought of handing my eight year old a roller was a little frightening and the brush method just didn’t blend. With much disappointment I found other ways for them to help. Their main job, keep Tiki from getting into anything. That is a tall order since she is not comfortable with us and attempts to explore everything and everywhere. Her biggest delight is chasing the cat, who although needs the exercise does not appreciate Tiki’s exercise routine. Tiki also prefers cat food to dog food. All my dogs do…I wonder why? Back to the room. I managed to finish painting last night, edging and all! It is a beautiful and bright blue-green, not really pastel…but well, just wait for the pic when we’re done with everything. It is very fitting and “Tweety” picked it out to match her comforter set. Today I attempted a project that I wasn’t so sure about. We have a cheap chest of drawers that is still in decent condition, but I did not want it in “Tweety’s” bedroom the way it looked. Since it would not hold paint I decided to try something…I covered it in contact paper and then sponged the room color, then a pastel yellow, then the room color again. It is really cute! Couldn’t believe it worked! It may not last long, and that’s fine, we can get something nice later. The girls had fun doing the painting. It was something easy for them and kept them involved. The room came together well with lots to give to Salvation Army. LOTS!

Next task, staining our new bedroom furniture! I have to have to HAVE to finish my school work first…off to researc more on LBJ and his Great Society…mmm well, maybe tomorrow it’s after midnight and I’m wiped out tired!

smiles! kontan jou!

I am currently in the process of researching LBJ’s Great Society for the purpose of critical evaluation. In the process I ran across this article. Using the events in New Orleans after Katrina as foundation the author examines the breakdown of society and places much blame on what he calls the “the socialist experiment”, LBJ’s Great Society and war on poverty. As the article points out the GS was created to help the poor, reducing poverty, and raise the bar for neighborhoods in America while improving health care and conservation policies. I am not taking the stance that all aspects of LBJ’s plan were bad. However, the creation of such a broad welfare base is in some ways (IMO) detrimental to those in poverty, leaving them dependent on the welfare system, with no incentive to raise the bar of personal triumph. Does anyone else see that a dependency could, and does, develop? There are some cases where families are economically better off if they have more children, do not seek a job or a higher wage, or separate. In a document detailing Reagan’s opposition to the development of a welfare state a case is referenced where a woman was seeking a divorce from her husband, a laborer earning $250 a month. If she divorced him she could receive $350 a month from the Aid to Dependent Children Program. Granted this was an old case, but similar instances can be found today. Is the wrong message being sent to people? What about work ethic? Pride? Determination to make it on one’s own? I’m not saying leave the poor hanging out to dry, but what about reform with incentive to get off the system and make it in the world by personal initiative?

Here is another article also referencing the breakdown of society during Katrina. Despite inadequacies society still screamed for the government to come to the rescue failing to make a personal attempt.

To a degree I can see the argument. Not being in the situation I can not imagine the hopelessness. However, I also know my personal drive to figure out a way to help my family, to see that needs are met. Has government dependency overrun that drive for many?

we must be making progress because alli and tiki are able to coexist in the same room now. of course my table was just vibrating from the kitty growls. she is not a happy camper. now i have tiki in my lap and alli is drifting as well. occassionally raising an eyelid to glare at me for bringing home the little brown bouncy thing. tchaik and blackie are not too thrilled either. but they keep themselves busy with the outdoor life. as long as i keep tiki from greeting them with enthusiasm they will get close for a pat.

tiki has taken to djembe as well. they watched the auburn game together today. djembe is also the only one who has managed to get a playful bark out of her. i think he has taken to her. alli isn’t thrilled by that either. she used to love curling up in djembe’s chair while he watched something. she hopped up the other day to find the brown furry thing taking a nap. whooops.

The second article said about the same as the first regarding teens and behavior. Marchand addresses concerns of teen influences, James Dean, and the rebellion of youth against the expectations of their parents.

To answer the question regarding the essays and “Happy Days”…

The “Happy Days” persona of the 1950s is an attempt to gild the decade as the “good old days” when husband went to work, wife kept the home, and children did all they were supposed to without reeking havoc. “Happy Days” portrays a 1950s innocence that was not the reality. The mother of the house did not always stay home baking cookies and keeping the home. More than ever before she could be seen in the working world. Youth were not always innocent and proper. Promiscuity was not lost on the 1950s generation. “Happy Days” touched on some issues of 1950s society, such as dating, gangs, and propriety, while continuing to embrace the “good old days” of American society. Both articles make references that could easily be used to describe 21st Century concerns. Youth of today are technology dependent, seek social recognition, and strive for life unique from the era of their parents. Marchand addresses the popular influences upon 50s youth, such as the rebel attitude and James Dean image. Today’s youth are influenced by Hollywood heroes and industry Pop stars. Commercial advertising has a large influence on the expectations and desires of both youth and society. The debt of 21st Century society is tremendous. Wealth and happiness is defined by the acquisition of things. Society strives for convenience just as it did in the 1950s with the advent of new appliances and new gadgets.

Driving home listening to Dave Ramsey yesterday. A lady calls in who is having financial struggles and about to go into foreclosure, five months behind on the house payment. Household income is 32000, plus a recent raise that will bring it to 36 or 38. Either way. She is a stay at home mom. They have a 20000 car note and one other large loan bill. The house is an 80/20 loan that is around 80 something…payments were 500 and 200 each month. Car payment was about 400. As you can read, way over extended. Bringing home only 2000 a month they were stretching it constantly. The obvious solution to me is get another job. Get two incomes coming in. Well what about being a SAH? so? Stay at home during the day and go to work in the evening when hubby gets home? Dave’s solution was hubby start delivering pizza’s every night, work two jobs. I have to ask why is that the only solution? Why not tell the mother to go out and get a job too? She can still stay home with kids during the day. With dad working two jobs his kids will never see him. Men are fully capable of keeping the kids alive…well at least mine is and I’m sure all can learn. I don’t get it! Why do without? Why seek government assistance? Why struggle so? when you could just get a job and make things just a little easier? That, IMO, is laziness. Yes, I understand gender roles…*imagining home improvement grunting in the background* but I don’t understand not being willing to do whatever it takes to make things work! Why should the man have to work 2 and 3 jobs while the woman stays at home? Granted being a SAH is not easy. I spent the few minutes she was talking to Dave yelling at the radio. She wanted a $75000 a year life on a $32000 a year income. I find it highly irritating when those spouting how wonderful they are for staying at home mooch off the system or whine about their economic plight. If you can afford it and want to, stay at home it will be an awesome experience. If you can’t afford it then find a way to work evenings while you stay at home during the day, the kids will benefit from alone time with daddy. No reason to make one member of the family work two or three jobs just so you can have your cake and eat it too. It doesn’t make you a better person. The better person is one who makes sure the family needs are met, and the kids are happy and healthy.

I have to wonder why Dave always suggests the husband get a second job. Just philosophy I guess. I would have told her to get rid of the $20000 car and get something you can actually afford, take a retail job in the evenings to supplement income, or see if their was a job that could be done from home. Help ease the stress and not cause more by expecting more out of your husband.

rant over.

what a day! i lectured and discussed all day yesterday…i knew better. i’ve been on the edge of sick and i went toppling over. my voice was gone today and my kids thought it was hilarious. although amused, they were sympathetic. tomorrow will be a mad rush to play catch up. seems to be the story of this week. omg, i can’t wait until break next week! but until then . . . back to grading!