Coretta Scott King on the comparison of racial struggles to GLBT struggles:

[Bluebear]

"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," she said. "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," she said.

"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," King stated. "This sets the stage for further repression and violence that spread all too easily to victimize the next minority group."

"We are all tied together in a single garment of destiny . . . I can never be what I ought to be until you are allowed to be what you ought to be," she said, quoting her husband. "I've always felt that homophobic attitudes and policies were unjust and unworthy of a free society and must be opposed by all Americans who believe in democracy," King told 600 people at the Palmer House Hilton, days before the 30th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination on April 4, 1968. She said the civil rights movement "thrives on unity and inclusion, not division and exclusion." Her husband's struggle parallels that of the gay rights movement, she said.

"Freedom from discrimination based on sexual orientation is surely a fundamental human right in any great democracy, as much as freedom from racial, religious, gender, or ethnic discrimination."

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

http://www.hatecrime.org/subpages/coretta.html

[Cha]

1. Well, Coretta Scott King

said it best, didn't she?

"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," she said. "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," she said." So Sweet~

[Bluebear]

2. 'We are all tied together in a single garment of destiny'

Why are people always seeking to rend the garment, rather than cultivate it as one long, flowing bolt of silk, accommodating all and highlighting our similarities rather than differences?

[Cha]

6. So poetic, you and Coretta!

Because scamters and politicians need a "wedge issue" and Gay Rights are it right now. Wonder what it will be 50 years from now or even 10? :(

[nosmokes]

14. Word.

Thanks for the posts oh wise ursine one.;)

[Der Blaue Engel]

3. K&R

:applause:

[dbackjon]

4. K&R

[Forkboy]

5. Ahh, what does that Hillbot know?

:yoiks:

[fedupfisherman]

7. Anybody know what MLK said about homosexuality?

Just wondering.

I know it was taboo in the 60s

[Bluebear]

8. "Just wondering". Right. You are questioning his widow?

She didn't know him?

[Bucky]

13. Quit eatin' nails for breakfast. It was a straight up request for information

It's safer at DU to assume you're among friends. I can tell you that easily searchable texts from MLK are very hard to find online.

[Bluebear]

26. Sorry about that. Anyone who joins up & asks what hate crimes are for raises my hackles.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=2139518

Apologies.

[Bluebear]

29. "Clinton lesbian rumors heat up!"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3681210

Another fine post by our "friend" here!

[LostinVA]

16. One of Dr. King's closest friends and advisors was gay and black

Coretta Scott King, who I believe knew King best, has said that he believed in equal rights for gays and lesbians.

[Chovexani]

17. MLK and Bayard Rustin

Bayard Rustin was an instrumental figure in the Civil Rights Movement, without him the historic March on Washington never would have took place. He was a counselor to MLK and was the one who introduced him to the principles of non-violent resistance, helping him to organize the SCLC. Rustin was also an open gay man in a time when such things were unheard of.

Many in the movement urged MLK to disavow Rustin because of his homosexuality (and the fact that he was a communist), but MLK refused to.

Here's a starting point for you: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayard_Rustin

[marmar]

9. And she's very right.....

As an African-American, I find bigotry among any minority that has suffered from discrimination particularly galling. African Americans, Latinos, women, Asian Americans, gays and lesbians et all should know better - an attack on any one of us is an attack on all of us.

[Bluebear]

10. And you have always stood with gays & lesbians. Proud to call you an ally.

[marmar]

11. D'accord, mon ami....

:grouphug:

[cuke]

12. You go girl!!!

[Solomon]

15. Thank you for posting this. I was getting sick of the african-american

vs. gay fight being manufactured and ginned up. All the outrage over somebody getting a bunch of people on stage and then being blamed for whatever anybody up there says.

Too bad they killed Martin. Too too bad.

[LostinVA]

21. Geez

I know you didn't forget the sarcasm smiley, which is rather shameful.

[mondo joe]

18. What did she know about race anyway?

:sarcasm:

[Mike Nelson]

19. What a great woman! -- She is so correct....

if only Obama knew this...

[Uncle Joe]

20. I miss the wisdom of Martin Luther and Coretta Scott King

Thanks for the thread, Bluebear.

Kicked and recommended.

[robertpaulsen]

22. K & R! What beautiful eloquence!

:kick:

[IndianaJones]

23. the struggle is the same....it never ends. nt.

[intheflow]

24. It's too bad their daughter doesn't get it.

:(

King vs. King
Sadly, one of Martin Luther King Jr.'s daughters lent her name to the anti-gay rights movement. Her father never would have.

By Earl Ofari Hutchinson

Dec 13, 2004 | The sight of the youngest daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. standing at her father's grave site with thousands of demonstrators to denounce gay marriage was painful. The Rev. Bernice King and march organizers deliberately chose King's resting place in Atlanta to imply that he would have stood with them. But Martin Luther King's uncompromising battle against discrimination during his life -- and his persistent refusal to distance himself from a well-known gay civil rights leader -- show that King never would have endorsed an anti-gay campaign.

(snip)

More at this link: http://dir.salon.com/story/opinion/feature/2004/12/13/king/index.html

[Bluebear]

25. Oh she is dreadfully divisive. She learned nothing from her father.

[Kurovski]

27. K&R. (nt)

[Devlzown]

28. Thank you, Mrs. King!

As always, you're a class act.:loveya:

[Elspeth]

30. kick

:kick: