MLK's Final Stand Showed His Courage

CLEVELAND - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stood at a podium in Memphis, TN on April 3, 1968 and, though drained and emotional, delivered arguably his most resonant and important speech. He held no fear for anyone, and he exuded remarkable confidence in an impossibly hostile climate. Less than 24 hours later, he was gone.

But never forgotten.

Today marks the 42nd anniversary of his stunning and tragic murder on a hotel balcony. Of course, the official version of events say that James Earl Ray was King's assailant. But for two generations now, conspiracy theories  have abounded over what actually took place that evening. It's been an infuriating thing to many Americans, particularly in the black community, especially since King was the voice of reason when most things related to racial equality in the U.S. were unreasonable. Since 1955, King had been the signature figure in the Civil Rights Movement and countless times risked his life and freedom for the amelioration of his country.

That was incredible times a million.

I love King's courage and defiance during his final speech. It was largely based on his reason for being in Memphis in the first place; the Memphis Sanitation Strike. But the historic aspect of his speech came when he  acknowledged the "threats" that were being issued against him by "sick white brothers." He said a million different things in just a few dozen words as he spoke of his desire to live a long life, but realization that he may not. He declared that he just wanted to "do God's will" and that he'd "been to the mountaintop."

He instilled hope in his listeners and followers when he declared that "we as a people will get to the promised land." When he punctuated his destined-to-be-iconic speech with "mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord," he nearly collapsed with raw exhaustion and emotion into his seat a few feet behind him. Jesse Jackson was there to catch King as he was heavily applauded for what came to be his final speech.

After MLK was gunned down the following day, everything about that speech grew in importance. His intonation was booming and emphatic. His words were prophetic and transformative. In other words, King sealed his legend just as his fate was being sealed. I am grateful for the courage he displayed that night, but the courage he displayed his entire life was the most amazing of his accomplishments.

Long live the King.

Dr. King Turned Hopeless Into Hopeful

CLEVELAND - Given the blatantly racist climate of the 1960's, it's a wonder that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wasn't destroyed long before he was. But his uncompromised drive to bring together a segregated nation continues improving our society, if only in small and imperceptible doses.

But, because of him, we have hope.

Today is the annual celebration of King's legacy. For the past 24 years, he has been honored with a national holiday that was initially rejected by "the powers that be." Knowing how much resistance that he received when he tried to bring us all together during his lifetime, the difficulty of making a King holiday a reality was apparent long before it was proposed. But I believe that every one of us Americans owe him a debt of gratitude. King wasn't about championing Blacks to the exclusion of everyone else. He was in fact, very inclusive. He wanted civil and equal rights for everyone. It just so happened that Blacks were the most disrespected in this country during the Civil Rights Movement.

At a time when mainstream acceptance for Blacks seemed like a pipe dream of fantastical proportions, Dr. King, with his stubborn determination and convictions gave us hope. With his legendary public crusades and powerful oration, we suddenly had a shot at equal rights comparable to Whites. Or so it seemed. It has now been nearly 42 years since his tragic death, but racism is still quite strong, though not as upfront and prohibitive as it was then.

Whatever progress this nation has made as a racially unified land, us Blacks owe it to King for giving us a shot in the dark. And everyone else owes it to him for bringing a small measure of peace and civility to the U.S.

Think about it.

M.L.K.'s Murder Discouraged, Then Empowered Us

CLEVELAND - As an elementary school student in the 1980's, I was (along with my classmates) consistently taught and reminded of the altruistic sacrifices that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. made for, not only Blacks -- but humans of every race, color and creed.

His tragic murder however, was always the sad ending to it all.

Today will forever be known as one of the pivotal touchstones in American history. On this very date, 41 years ago, King was gunned down about an hour before sunset at the shoddy Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN. His alleged assassin, a nobody named James Earl Ray successfully fled the scene undetected and remained at large for an incredible two months after the history-altering crime that he supposedly committed.

He was eventually caught in London, then arrested, convicted, he confessed, then recanted.

Ray died in prison in 1998 while serving a 99-year sentence. To this day, he remains the killer of record, but much speculation has persisted in the four decades since the crime. I'm not here to engage in a whodunit; rather I just want to point out a few things that Dr. King's assassination did to us Americans, especially Blacks.

It scared us like crazy initially.

Yes, King was the pre-eminent force in the iconic Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's. His tireless pursuit of justice, equality and racial harmony would carry him from the streets of Montgomery in the mid-'50's, to the Lincoln Memorial for his historic speech at the March on Washington in 1963 and finally, to that fateful final trip in 1968. It was his fiery oratory and courageous determination in the face of blatant racism that made Blacks believe in his message.

Then, he was killed.

King's murder was frustrating and discouraging. After a long period of mourning, we as a people stood up and actually became empowered by the spirit of King's vision. Suddenly, we began to believe that maybe, we controlled our own destinies.

It may have been his true legacy.

Let's remember King today for the gifts he gave us, rather than as the gift (him) that was taken away from us. America still has its warts and flaws, but in a very real sense...maybe it can also be called the promised land.

Remember, I did say maybe.

The South Comes North

CLEVELAND - There is an old adage that says to "respect your elders." Deante Young believes in that more now than ever.

And it's all because of his talk-show.

Young's raunchy series, a Date with Deante debuts the second episode of season 2 today with a slight deviation from its typical content. In the newest installment, Young welcomes his relatives to Cleveland from Baton Rogue, Louisiana and what follows is both informative and ultimately, stunning.

Young's great aunt, aged 90 is as sharp as a tack.

Along with his aunt is 80-year old Mr. Percy, who spices up the conversation with his uproarious revelations and philosophies. Young himself says through his publicist that these two seniors gave him a new found appreciation for older folks and that he'll "respect [my] elders" even more.

But he'll continue to piss everyone else off!

Malcolm X: A Gift and Curse For Black People

CLEVELAND - Malcolm X was one of the most controversial, polarizing figures of the 20th century. He was also endlessly complex, stunningly fascinating and enigmatic beyond belief.

I speak the truth.

Malcolm, a one-time high-profile member of the Nation of Islam was assassinated 44 years ago today in Manhattan's Audubon Ballroom. His death sparked a multitude of conspiracy theories, but his life inspired a litany of books, plays and films, most notably Spike Lee's 1992 epic starring the great Denzel Washington.

As celebrated as Malcolm was amongst Blacks for his radical views on race, he was detested by Whites (and some in the Nation of Islam) even more. While it is true that a segment of the black population found fault with his views back then, he has been hailed as an inspiring, seminal figure during the past 20 years. In 1989, militant rap group Public Enemy celebrated him endlessly during their "Fight the Power" era as if he were the perfect role-model for Blacks.

He wasn't.

Malcolm was a man who often spoke disparagingly of White people. In many ways, he was the precursor to the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, even sparking public outrage with a shocking comment about President Kennedy's assassination a week after it took place. He encouraged Blacks to rise up by essentially pushing down the white man. These divisive views were even more glaring when compared to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

King was all about equality and peace. He wanted Whites and Blacks to have the same rights and occupy the same space in harmony. In his final years, King repudiated the burgeoning Black Power Movement largely because it furthered the divide already in place between the different races. Malcolm X not only condoned Black Power, he encouraged it. Now I'm no idiot, I fully understand any Black person's hostility towards Whites during the 1960's, but the way he unleashed his vitriol was counterproductive to any advance we as a people could have ever made. If we followed Malcolm's beliefs, we could never embrace or support President Barack Obama, who is a product of interracial love.

I'm just saying.

In spite of it all, Malcolm X was an intelligent and profound thinker. He just seemed a bit misguided and immature, things that may have turned around had he lived longer. He still deserves to be recognized as influential and key to the evolution of Black people in America.

But he was no MLK.