Submitted by Terence Blackett
On Monday January 17th marked the 25th anniversary of The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday – a day that saw “multi-racial” groups breaking bread together; political leaders setting aside their partisan politics to speak of the need for greater unity (even if only just so glibly); sprinkled with the solemn tributes and affirmations as well as the pontificators who lauded the name of MLK. Somehow you could feel this sense of fuzziness, and for a moment, you thought that some of the rival factions were literally going to break out in the singing of “kumbayah” my lord…
Sadly, the dust always settles and the smoke finally clears and it’s back to business as usual with the customary wrangling, infighting and squabbling over every inch of social terrain. It’s seems that after “THE DREAM” comes the cold, bitter morning of reality and we are somehow shocked into this polarized sense that we simply do not see eye to eye and are incapable of getting along.
A pedantic lurch back through the mid to late 1950’s and 1960’s history carries a stark reminder of a time when as Black folks our parents and grandparents faced in many ways a myriad of social pressures – monetary, political and religious alienation which has contributed and has been responsible for the psychic scar that remains a blot on the landscape of Black empowerment. This has due in part to the contemporary eyes of postmodernity through which we view that recent historical past but especially for those who were not privy to live through it. But even if we did, the memories have faded to a mere shadow of what life was really like. What does stand out is the socio-sexual revolution of the 60’s – and although this seismic shift in the last [50] years has defined the latter half of the 20th century, we are seeing its resultant social metamorphosis now in the 21st century.
That period of historical time was awash with social changes. Civil Liberties were the “buzz” word. Blacks marched, struggled and lamented their human condition. The world was in a state of social flux where changes were being demanded (just as we are seeing today in the Arab Spring). Black America and the Diaspora was undergoing a time of immense geopolitical upheaval – the “right” to be equal in all areas of social life became the resounding call from powerful religious leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King. Black oppression which had become an aftershock of the seismological effects of slavery, the capitalisation of human labor and the entrenched falsification of religious and scientific disinformation created by those who were the social architects of that damnable institution we call “SLAVERY” – sought to keep Black folks relegated to the sidelines – on the margin of whatever society was evolving into.
The economic masters of the 1960’s program of deception and disinformation began a war in Vietnam, created a craze for psychedelic drugs and rock music, mobilized the concept of FREE* love and most importantly, worked through subterfuge to diminish the effects of the Civil Rights Momentum gaining traction through Marcus “Mosiah” Garvey, the Black Panther Movement, Stokely Carmichael, Malcolm X and most notably, the imminent social prophet of conscience – MLK.
By creating “The Sexual Revolution” – it was to become the antithesis to whatever the various social Black movements of time was endeavouring to accomplish. This was a calculated stunt which would pay massive social dividends as we have seen in the current Gay Rights Movement.
But is it fair to equate this burgeoning movement with the Civil Right Movement? Are there any substantative similarities? Is the argument legit that the Gay Rights Movement has virtually hijacked the Civil Rights Movement?
It may be easy to answer yes and no but these are individual questions which require a deal of unpacking – (whether we have the brevity to do that is debatable) nevertheless, our intent is to show how the forces of deception, media disinformation and the social and religious constructionist arguments are fundamentally flawed and the “agenda” (to use Chris Halsall terminology) is much more far reaching than many are capable of discerning.
Pastor, Author and Social Activist Dr. Clenard H. Childress, Jr. in a thought-provoking piece entitled – “HOMOSEXUALITY, ABORTION, & MARTIN LUTHER KING” suggest that “in the days of Jesus, He confronted and debated the pharisaical religious order of His day and in the Gospel of John, the 8th Chapter illuminates the problem when there is debate with those who are in denial of their condition. The religious elite had no intention of trying to find the truth. These bigots often masqueraded in deception and majored in misinformation deceiving the uninitiated. Jesus began a discussion about being enslaved to sin and it caused the depth of the problem to surface. Their reply to our Lord’s lesson is recorded in John 8:33 when they said, “We have never been in bondage to any man!” Yes, they had become so consumed in their own maliciousness and chicanery, they lost sight of reality, and were living in denial believing their own press releases.”
“The Roman Empire had been occupying and subjugating Israel for multiple years along with the religious elite. They were enslaved to man outwardly and sin inwardly and blind to both. Certainly at that point, Jesus saw the futility of trying to reach that audience with truth, yet out of compassion he persisted. The elites were determined to twist and malign the facts to accommodate their lifestyle, though in error. They lived in a vacuum of denial refusing to see the obvious. When truth is ignored, or denied, the course often taken by those in denial is to first obfuscate, then defame, diminish, and finally denounce the messenger. This crowd resorted to using the “N-word” of that day: “Samaritan”, and even went so far as declaring that Jesus was the devil. Sound familiar?”
Dr. Childress further states that “it is similar today, for instead of examining the data, this generation’s elites combat truth with ideology, character assassination, deception, and of course, denial. The two defining issues of the day which will determine the course of our culture, and the destiny of our nation, are abortion and homosexuality… Pro-choice, homosexual and lesbian activists, all claim their cause is a Civil Rights issue. Yet the “Civil Rights” of the unborn children are being denied, and it is intellectually dishonest to claim a “right” for yourself, and by so doing, deny the rights of someone else, especially when that someone is an unborn infant. These individuals are completely wrong because you do not give Civil Rights to sexual orientation because your sexual orientation could be flawed. “Civil Rights” are based on “Birth Rights,” and according to the APA, homosexuality and lesbianism is an acquired behavior, not something like the color of your skin – something you’re born with. You were not born homosexual, so sexual preference is not a Civil Right – it’s a preference.”
According to Dr. Childress, MLK held a Biblical point of view on most social subjects of importance especially those which affected Blacks, their families and their socio-spiritual conditions. He cites Martin on the issue of PREMARITAL SEX* for example, where Dr. King says rather poignantly – (excerpts from a 1957-1958 monthly advice columns for “Ebony Magazine”), “I think you should hold firm to the principle of premarital virginity. The problems created by premarital sex relationships are far greater than the problems created by premarital virginity. The suspicion, fears, and guilt feelings generated by premarital sex relations are contributing factors to the present breakdown of the family. Real men still respect purity and virginity within women. If a man breaks a relationship with you because you would not allow him to participate in the sexual act, you can be assured that he did not love you from the beginning.”
On the issue of “HOMOSEXUALITY” and in answer to a young man struggling with feelings for the same sex, he opines: “Your problem is not at all an uncommon one. However, it does require careful attention. The type of feeling that you have toward boys is probably not an innate tendency, but something that has been culturally acquired… You are already on the right road toward a solution, since you honestly recognize the problem and have a desire to solve it.”
Dr. Childress states that “what probably grieves him the most is that the Gay Rights Movement claims Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King as an icon for their cause, when essentially nothing could be further from the truth. Dr. King was a chief facilitator of the Civil Rights Movement, and by his death at the hand of an assassin, paid the ultimate price for his cause. Freeing African-Americans from centuries of slavery, bigotry and racism, does not equate with sexual preference, and so in some ways, Dr. King’s writings are more relevant, imperative, and apropos today than when he first penned them decades ago. Like any true Prophet of God, he is and was before his time, yet his words – transcending time – speak loudly and clearly to us today.”
Childress believes that “the pimping of Dr. King by the racist abortion industry and by homosexual and lesbian activists needs to cease. But since you admire him so much, and like to invoke his name so often, perhaps you might also adhere to his counsel. I know there will be those – like the pharisaical religious elite of Jesus’ day – who will continue in their state of denial, rejecting the obvious, but for those of you who objectively look at Martin’s words; perhaps it will subjectively help you decide what is right and what is wrong.”
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in a letter from a Birmingham jail wrote that “an unjust law is (one that a) majority group compels a minority group to obey but does not make binding on itself… “Lamentably, it is a historical fact that privileged groups seldom give up there privileges voluntarily.” Could this apply to the Gay Rights Movement? Clearly, MLK would not have had that in mind had he been here today.
In the Bible, (the Word of God) sexual relations was arranged for a mutually exclusive relationship between one man and one woman – two beings that complement each other, and make up for each other’s shortcomings, weaknesses and ineptitudes. The purpose was that they each bring strength to their relationship and they complement each other making them one person.
The breach in God Law has resulted in chaos, confusion and deception. Wishy-washy politicians pandering to the whims of lobbyist groups and ideological coalition groups whose sole agenda are to push the ‘gospel’ of secular humanism. The results have been the stark statistics of our course in what we term sexual freedom which results in disease, mayhem and death. Each year there are 1 million new cases of genital herpes in the United States alone. 45 million people are already infected with recurrent episodes of this incurable condition. Each year, 2 million Americans are afflicted with gonorrhea and 35,000 come down with syphilis. There are currently an estimated 65 million people living in the United States with an incurable sexually transmitted disease. Of the 15 million sexually transmitted diseases that occur each year in that country, 10 million of these are individuals between 15 and 25 years of age. Two-thirds of all sexually transmitted diseases occur in people 25 years of age or younger.
We are paying the price for our promiscuity and decadent debauchery. Immorality is taking its toll. Our so-called sexual freedom has sold us into bondage. Add to this the fact that 880,000 cases of AIDS have been discovered in the United States since 1981. These are the realities of the Sexual Revolution.
Where politicians and other leaders remain out of touch with the basics of fundamental truth but choose the path of least resistance because of expediency we have what wishy-washy individuals like Joe Lieberman remark that “gay rights is the new “front lines” of the civil-rights movement”. If Dr. King had a “DREAM” – certainly it could not have been about those who choose sexual variance in any society hijacking his legacy as a moral bandwagon from which to propel themselves into the Statute Books where enshrined into the law would be the legal (state-sanctioned “right” to now enforce your will on other who may not share your position).
Harry Belafonte, an ardent supporter of MLK and a personal friend had the goodly doctor at home one day and realized to his dismay that Martin seemed quite agitated – so he asked whimsically, what was wrong? Dr. King answered: “I’ve come upon something that disturbs me deeply… We have fought hard and long for integration, as I believe we should have, and I know that we will win. But I’ve come to believe we’re integrating into a burning house.”
Harry asked MLK what he meant and his words became even more visceral – “I’m afraid that even as we integrate, we are walking into a place that does not understand that this nation needs to be deeply concerned with the plight of the poor and disenfranchised. Until we commit ourselves to ensuring that the underclass is given justice and opportunity, we will continue to perpetuate the anger and violence that tears at the soul of this nation.”
It’s an insult for a man who paid with his life at the hands of the “white” establishment for modern-day socio-religio political “cartoonists” to be trying to re-package, re-brand and re-sanitize MLK in the image of TEA-PARTY “nincompoops”, LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, bisexual & transgender) movement and / or any other seemingly insignificant cause which does bear the mark of what this great man stood for – the rights of the Black man!
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