Dr. King's anti-gay daughter to head civil rights organization he started

[ccharles000]

Bernice King, the youngest daughter of Martin Luther King, Jr., has been chosen to lead the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the organization that her father help to found.

Personally I am reticent about the entire matter; that is to say I am undecided on whether this is a good thing .

Bernice King has been very vocal against marriage equality. She has led marches against it and her opinion of marriage equality is best typified by the following statement:

“I know in my sanctified soul that he (Dr. King) did not take a bullet for same-sex marriage.”

It not so much the statement that angered me but what it represented.

An unfortunate consequence of the cultural battle over marriage equality is how it allowed some black leaders to shirk their responsibilites to lgbts of color.

http://holybulliesandheadlessmonsters.blogspot.com/2009/10/will-bernice-king-continue-to-run-game.html

[ThePantaloon.com]

1. This is the definition of IRONY...

[LeftyMom]

2. Her father worked with Bayard Rustin and her mother spoke out in favor of GLBT equality.

She ought to be ashamed of herself for misrepresenting their legacy.

[Stargleamer]

5. Thanx--I had forgotten about Bayard Rustin

I believe also some of Bernice King's siblings are also pro-equality like their mother was.

[LeftyMom]

13. Her late sister was very outspoken on the matter.

[Stargleamer]

3. What a shame. . .

Mother Coretta Scott King was so pro-gay rights and cared about animals too (she became a vegetarian).

[BrklynLiberal]

4. Very sad....

[alittlelark]

6. see smilies below.

:crazy: :puke: :mad:

[grantcart]

7. Well I know that Dr. King would never have used "in my sanctified soul"

to try and gain authority for a moral argument.

[imdjh]

9. I think she meant sactimonious soul.

[ldf]

8. "I know in my sanctified soul...

that he (Dr. King) did not take a bullet for same-sex marriage."

fine.

fight your own battles, then. don't expect help from others.

:grr:

[GoneOffShore]

10. +1

[madeline_con]

11. I emailed the SCLC n/t

[Withywindle]

12. Mom knows best

These are some things Coretta Scott King had to say on GLBT issues:

Lesbian and gay people are a permanent part of the American workforce, who currently have no protection from the arbitrary abuse of their rights on the job. For too long, our nation has tolerated the insidious form of discrimination against this group of Americans, who have worked as hard as any group, paid their taxes like everyone else, and yet have been denied equal protection under the law.

• I believe all Americans who believe in freedom, tolerance and human rights have a responsibility to oppose bigotry and prejudice based on sexual orientation.

• I still hear people say that I should not be talking about the rights of lesbian and gay people and I should stick to the issue of racial justice. But I hasten to remind them that Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

• I appeal to everyone who believes in Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream to make room at the table of brother- and sisterhood for lesbian and gay people.

• We have to launch a national campaign against homophobia in the black community.

• Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny their humanity, their dignity and personhood. This sets the stage for further repression and violence that spread all too easily to victimize the next minority group.

• Gays and lesbians stood up for civil rights in Montgomery, Selma, in Albany, Ga. and St. Augustine, Fla., and many other campaigns of the Civil Rights Movement. Many of these courageous men and women were fighting for my freedom at a time when they could find few voices for their own, and I salute their contributions.


***

Parents everywhere should take a deep breath. If the best parents in the universe (Martin and Coretta) could produce a child full of so much FAIL, everyone with kids should realize the worst they do is not their fault..

[stray cat]

14. She is right that Dr. King was fighting for basic rights for black Americans

and he and the people he recruited did a wonderful job and sacrificed much to bring us to the present state. That present state is still a long way from perfect.