Martin Luther King pictured in Air Force base shooting event flier

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

Martin Luther King pictured in Air Force base shooting event flier
Reuters
9 hours ago

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Officials at a U.S. Air Force base in Georgia apologized on Friday for using an image of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. to advertise a "fun shoot" gun practice.

Robins Air Force Base officials issued a statement saying King's picture on the flier was "an honest mistake."

The shooting session is scheduled for Monday, the annual national holiday to commemorate King's birthday. King, an Atlanta native who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts at ending segregation, was assassinated in 1968.

"We offer our heartfelt apology to those affected by our thoughtlessness," base spokesman Roland Leach said. "We hold the legacy of Dr. King in the highest regard.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/martin-luther-king-pictured-air-force-shooting-event-195447463.html

---

(This is really filthy. I am sickened. I hope not one troll dares to gloat here over this evil act.)

[forest444]

1. An "honest mistake."

Nothin' to see here folks.

Thank you for bringing this to everyone's attention, Judi. I lived in the Deep south for several years, and I certainly saw and heard my share of racist 'humor' - some of it at Dr. King's expense.

[mpcamb]

12. "honest" as in "honestly meant it".

[TheBlackAdder]

26. There are a lot of tone deaf responses downthread. nt

[forest444]

28. Hmm. I see what you mean.

Any doubts some may have as to their intent should have been cleared up with this: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141316144#post5

Whoever put this together knew exactly what he was doing.

[HassleCat]

2. It was for skeet shooting

I'm sure skeet shooters do not see themselves or their sport as similar in any way to the guy why shot King. They were trying to publicize their event, scheduled for King's birthday. They made a big boo-boo, and they admitted they were not thinking, then apologized. I doubt very much if a skeet shooting group had any intention of attracting bigots to their event by using King's picture. People should be more sensitive, and I'm sure they will be in the future.

[Judi Lynn]

3. How forgetful could one be to not know he put the image of an assassinated man on a target?

There is not now, nor ever will be, an acceptable excuse.

[HassleCat]

4. The background was not a target.

It was the American flag.

[kelly1mm]

6. Ummmm, what? IF it had been a target, you would be correct. But it was a flyer so you are not. nt

[Calista241]

19. I don't see what all the outrage is about.

They're publicizing an event that takes place on the MLK holiday. The fact that the event happens to involve a skeet shoot should be immaterial. MLK day is, you know, a holiday, and oftentimes, people look to do recreational activities on their holidays. Skeet shooting, while not my thing, is a valid holiday activity practiced by thousands of people.

Now if they were shooting targets with MLK's picture or likeness, or anyone's picture or likeness, I could understand.

[Judi Lynn]

5. Robins Air Force Base takes down flyer advertising MLK 'fun shoot'

Robins Air Force Base takes down flyer advertising MLK 'fun shoot'
Stephen Losey, Air Force Times 3:58 p.m. EST January 15, 2016


[font size=1]
Military officials have pulled a provocative flyer featuring Martin Luther King Jr. atop a “fun shoot” at an
Air Force Base in Georgia to be held on the holiday honoring civil rights icon.
(Photo: AirForceTimes.com)
[/font]
WARNER ROBINS, Ga. -- Robins Air Force Base in Georgia has taken down a flyer advertising a "Martin Luther King Jr. Fun Shoot" scheduled for the holiday honoring the slain civil rights leader.

In a statement to Air Force Times, Robins apologized for the advertising tying the event to the holiday honoring King, who was shot by an assassin in Memphis in 1968.

"We're deeply sorry for any offense or harm caused by our insensitivity and failure to provide appropriate oversight of our marketing process," Robins spokesman Roland Leach said in an email Thursday. "The flyer does not represent the values, opinions or views of the Department of Defense, the Air Force or Robins Air Force Base leadership and its employees."

Leach said Robins officials realized the advertisement was inappropriate "several days ago" and immediately started taking the flyer down.

More:
http://www.11alive.com/story/news/2016/01/15/robins-air-force-base-takes-down-flyer-advertising-mlk-fun-shoot/78840894/

[Merlot]

9. I was actually willing to give them the benefit of the doubt...

thanks for posting this image and taking away any doubt.

[cynzke]

10. Very Disturbing!

Either this is blatant perverse bigoted humor or sheer ignorant stupidity. I have to go with the former because its hard to believe ANYONE could design this and be so stupid to not see the obvious implications.

[malthaussen]

16. Put "Day" in there, and they could float the "honest mistake" excuse.

Without it, there is no ambiguity at all.

-- Mal

[Merlot]

24. Exactly.

[beergood]

23. thanks for posting

the picture in question, now people can see it and judge for themselves.

i hate articles that are written about pictures/images but never include the image in question.

[Hoyt]

7. Gunz and racism, go together like a. . . . . . .

[Judi Lynn]

25. Absolutely! Thanks for saying it. n/t

[beergood]

29. which came first

do racists buy guns, or does buying a gun make you a racist?

[Hoyt]

32. I think most people seriously into gunz are racists, if for no other reason than they

are afraid of minorities. Just a fact, anyone who is objective has to admit it.

[Hoyt]

33. I see you are a gungeoneer. Take my advice, gunz and beer don't mix.

[beergood]

34. agree

one of the many reasons i no longer consume alcohol.

whats a gungeoneer?

[Hoyt]

37. Your favorite group so far where 2nd Amendment fanciers congregate, kind of an Internet compound.

[NBachers]

8. Next year, they can call it the James Earl Ray Shoot Fest. It will be an 'honest mistake.'

Check out the half-swastika image of the woman's legs on the page adjacent to the flyer.

[marble falls]

11. This IS sickening and was no honest mistake. Someone needs firing over this.

[KingCharlemagne]

13. Or maybe court martiailing? - nt

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

14. I'm so glad I've never made an error

This is a tough group, calling for jobs to be lost.

Someone screwed up attempting to link a recreational event with the MLK holiday, apologies were offered.

[Angel Martin]

20. when it is a choice

between stupidity and some sinister intent;
or stupidity and conspiracy...

it's always stupidity !

[niyad]

21. this wasn't an error--this was deliberate, and there is no way to see it any other way.

on the other hand, if somebody is truly that clueless, then that person is too dysfunctional to be allowed out without a keeper.

[restorefreedom]

22. +1

[DallasNE]

15. "An Honest Mistake"?

Some "fun shoot" that would be. This was pure evil.

[people]

17. These people should be disciplined/fired/ court marshalled

Unbelievable!! The Air Force and Georgia must be so backward and so racist. This should not be tolerated by the U.S.A.F. Truly disgusting!

[Octafish]

18. An ''honest mistake.''

Like the time George W Bush laughed when he "hanged" Dr. King's portrait in the White House?

"Well, thank you all very much for coming. Mrs. King, thanks for this beautiful portrait. I can't wait to hang it."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2965160

Heh heh heh.

[mwrguy]

27. Racist gun nuts

But then that is redundant.

[beergood]

30. are you saying

every member of the USAF is a racist gun nut?

[Skittles]

31. where did he say that?

[beergood]

35. my understanding is he

called the people that put up that flyer racists gun nuts.

the people that made and distributed that flyer are part of the USAF correct?

[Skittles]

36. that is pretzel logic