"It is an unhappy truth that racism is a way of life for the vast majority of white Americans" Martin Luther King, Jr., March 1968
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The funny thing about this quote is that white folks have never thought of themselves as racist - not before slavery - not during or after - and certainly not now. I am sure you could win millions of dollars gambling with folks on the source and year of this quote. I doubt that most white folks or black folks believe King would have said something like that so close to the time of his death. The prevailing mythology on King is informed by his speeches and writings in 1963. Very little of his thought post-Watts (1965) and post-Cicero, Illinois (1966?) have "survived" in the mind of America. Of course, getting an icy reception in both places can make you reconsider a position or two or three.
The only downside to betting on a comment that raises the issue of race is that the first person people think of is Dr. King. That could cost you some green. Tread lightly.
Posted by: Temple3 | June 27, 2005 at 03:05 PM