¶ … Martin Luther King Jr.'s iconic speech "I Have a Dream" in relation to some of the reactionary racism fuelled by Barack Obama's ascendancy to the White House. Many people believe that Obama's election to President of the United States was a fulfillment of King's infamous speech and it is not difficult to see that Obama's speech "A More Perfect Union" can easily be compared to King's speech as well. The two have quite a bit in common for important figures from different eras, and one of the things that they have in common is that racism is still alive and well in the United States. While King was faced by rampant public racism of his time, Obama has faced a new kind of racism that King was never subjected to -- Internet racism. In the months leading up to his being elected to President, the amount of threatening remarks on the Internet increased dramatically. This outpouring of hatred is proof that the issue of racism has not been solved in this country. Rather, it is something that pollutes our consciousness through its pervasiveness online. Martin Luther King Jr. says in his "I Have a Dream" speech that though "five score years ago" the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, "the Negro is still not free" (Nobelprize.org 2011). Now, over forty years later, the African-American is still not free, which became apparent with Obama's ascendency to the White House and the racism that polluted the Internet with hatred and intolerance in the days before and after. The Southern...
There were people who believed that Obama's election to President would kick off race wars -- Whites vs. Blacks. Others talk about the possibility of Obama's assassination. However, the SPLC notes that the wording appears cautious as many fear that they are being watched by law enforcement. On one site, JD Underground, one of the many White supremacist sites, a thread is titled "Nigger President" (2008).
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on Non-Violence and Natural Law Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is internationally recognized for his iconic leadership of the Civil Rights Movement, which resulted in a furthering of social justice and fairness for people of color. Moreover, the work of King and his movement resulted in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. One of the key strategies that King
King evokes many of the philosophical premises that justified Gandhi in his actions, and explicitly mentions another famous social agitator -- Socrates -- in the hopes of solidifying the logical foundations of the notion of social protest. When it comes to commitment and communication, the two can easily be displayed in the case of King through his famous letter from the Birmingham jail, where King demonstrated both his ability to
Furthermore the rhetoric here is rich in symbolism. Dr. King draws parallels between the response of violence to his peaceful protests and other great personalities whose commitment to justice, truth, and love also had unintended and unfortunate consequences. Personalities like Socrates and Jesus, for example, could not be expected to deny their truth for fear of public reaction. Dr. King makes this argument even stronger by also drawing the parallel
Steele's warning however appears to be negated by the fact of Obama's success. While there are indeed lapses in his discipline, these can be said to serve only as an indicator of Mr. Obama's humanity, connecting him more closely rather than alienating him from his followers. Other authors also point out some potentially problematic factors in Obama's campaign and policy issues. According to Gerring and Yesnowitz, for example, Obama has
Learning From Great Leaders "The Art of Rhetoric" makes the point that Pericles had great powers of persuasion, and that he could directly affect the will of the people through his rhetorical strategies. When the Athenian citizens got too proud and even arrogant, he would settle them down into reality -- but when they were struggling to believe, he could lift them up to a higher place. This was the sum
1968 Olympics Black Power Salute Black Power Salute (Dominis, 1968) Photograph Description and Context The picture is a black and white photo that was taken at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. Two Olympics sprinters stood atop the podium wearing the gold and bronze medals. Their names are Tommie Smith and John Carlos. They are shown holding their first in the air as an expression of solidarity with the Black Power movement. It
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