African American

Kind of Blue

(8,709 posts) Mon Nov 30, 2015, 08:44 AM Nov 2015

Martin Luther King’s hate mail eerily resembles criticism of the Black Lives Matter movement [View all]

"In the last year or so, as the Black Lives Matter movement has taken off, the cause has been criticized by (mostly) white people asking, 'Yeah, but what about this?'

It turns out that this argument has been in style for at least half a century.

Indeed, this type of discourse is nothing new, as we can see when we examine the hate mail that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. received during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. It’s overwhelming how the fear of the status quo being changed has been something white America can’t stop thinking about–and loudly announcing how it’s a problem–for so long now. These messages could have been written yesterday in the comments of a Facebook post as easily as they were on stationery or in a telegram 50 years ago."

http://fusion.net/story/184032/black-lives-matter-martin-luther-king-hate-mail/

Seven pages of mail at The King Center. http://thekingcenter.org/archive/theme/4809

78 replies

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Martin Luther King’s hate mail eerily resembles criticism of the Black Lives Matter movement [View all] Kind of Blue Nov 2015 OP

Indeed lovemydog Nov 2015 #1

There was no doubt back then, as Kind of Blue Nov 2015 #2

And I'll bet that view went largely unchallenged ... 1StrongBlackMan Nov 2015 #9

All credit goes to Bravenak. Kind of Blue Nov 2015 #10

Great find and I had no idea JustAnotherGen Nov 2015 #3

LOL...stick a needle in my eye or Kind of Blue Nov 2015 #4

You nailed it. And I even said something similar about this in my thread where I noted my mom Number23 Nov 2015 #12

Yep, same old same old.. mountain grammy Nov 2015 #5

D'uh and I'm just realizing that is the go-to site Kind of Blue Nov 2015 #6

"A former friend of the Negro..." Starry Messenger Nov 2015 #7

So many letters that I can't pick the most hideous. Kind of Blue Nov 2015 #8

Good God, this is one HELL of a thread!! Number23 Nov 2015 #11

Gurl, I'm enjoying these letters! Kind of Blue Nov 2015 #13

A truth and reconciliation commission ought to have been convened long ago. scarletwoman Nov 2015 #16

Yeah, scarletwoman. Since there's none Kind of Blue Nov 2015 #17

"...than possibly believe Everything we've learned just might not be true and dig a little deeper." scarletwoman Nov 2015 #22

Excellent, excellent points! Kind of Blue Nov 2015 #23

Some people are moved to keep seeking out the truth, other people believe they already know it. scarletwoman Nov 2015 #34

I have a highly educated friend with a big PhD after her name, truedelphi Nov 2015 #33

Sounds like someone who believes they already know all they need to know. scarletwoman Nov 2015 #36

That is a wonderful quote. truedelphi Nov 2015 #38

"they complained of holding many educational meetings for white people, but they don't come." Number23 Dec 2015 #48

Truth! Kind of Blue Dec 2015 #53

Seems anyone who has ever tried to reclaim their freedom gets in the way of others. jtuck004 Nov 2015 #14

I get the opening of your response Kind of Blue Nov 2015 #19

It's code for ... 1StrongBlackMan Nov 2015 #24

Wow! Mind blown. I could never have figured Kind of Blue Nov 2015 #26

Thank you. Glad you are getting some currency from being the owner of that one. jtuck004 Nov 2015 #28

Well ... Thank you! I guess. n/t 1StrongBlackMan Nov 2015 #35

No, but maybe one day we will figure it out. Bye.n/t jtuck004 Nov 2015 #29

See ya, oh cryptic one. Glad I got an explanation. n/t Kind of Blue Nov 2015 #32

Enjoy your privilege. n/t jtuck004 Nov 2015 #40

Excuse me, I just can't help but find it strange that you would say "Enjoy your privilege" to scarletwoman Nov 2015 #41

Post removed Post removed Dec 2015 #45

Your participation in this thread is ridiculous and unwanted. Please don't return. Number23 Dec 2015 #47

"Throw 'em out if they don't agree." Speaking of nothing, you could run for pres with that jtuck004 Dec 2015 #49

And now, not only content with a bunch of nothing, you are now resorting to completely juvenile Number23 Dec 2015 #50

YOu whine like MLK did, I guess that is what they think. If only you would take your randys1 Dec 2015 #65

Again, looking for the "WTF is wrong with you?" emoji Digital Puppy Dec 2015 #42

You put me in mind of this guy... jtuck004 Dec 2015 #43

I avoid directly answering questions too if doing so would illustrate a bias. LanternWaste Dec 2015 #74

"we ever quit fighting each other" ? how are black people the ones fighting others when they just JI7 Dec 2015 #46

This is why I can't understand Coolest Ranger Nov 2015 #15

Here's a bit from a transcript and video Kind of Blue Nov 2015 #18

I have no idea of who Ball and Jay are, but truedelphi Nov 2015 #30

Powerful and so sad. Kind of Blue Nov 2015 #31

I am glad that he is featured on The Real News. truedelphi Nov 2015 #37

i wonder why they left out economics in the letters JI7 Nov 2015 #20

Ha! Kind of Blue Nov 2015 #21

No ... that is why they KILLED him! n/t 1StrongBlackMan Nov 2015 #25

Repeat... Kind of Blue Nov 2015 #27

That needs to be an op in this group JustAnotherGen Dec 2015 #52

Bingo! Kind of Blue Dec 2015 #54

An amazing contribution to an already amazing thread. Number23 Dec 2015 #67

You nailed it, Number23! Kind of Blue Dec 2015 #71

You mean to tell me he wasn't hawking for economic justice for the white laborer ... 1StrongBlackMan Dec 2015 #68

I'm sorry 1strong JustAnotherGen Dec 2015 #69

Ha!! n/t gollygee Dec 2015 #73

K & R for the best current thread on DU. lovemydog Nov 2015 #39

Me too what you said. betsuni Dec 2015 #44

Aww. Thanks, betsuni! Kind of Blue Dec 2015 #56

Thank you, LMD! Kind of Blue Dec 2015 #55

Damn damn damn!! bravenak Dec 2015 #51

Thank YOU! My thanks to you is Kind of Blue Dec 2015 #57

This is an awesome thread. I felt so AGGRIEVED watching folks completely change history. bravenak Dec 2015 #58

As well you should feel aggrieved! Kind of Blue Dec 2015 #61

When I think of Dr. King this is what I see is his legacy. Kind of Blue Dec 2015 #59

When I think of Dr. King I think about how the FBI murdered him on behalf of white America randys1 Dec 2015 #66

This is an incredible thread... Spazito Dec 2015 #60

Thanks, Spazito. Kind of Blue Dec 2015 #62

I need to go back to the site, I just scratched the surface when I visited last time and... Spazito Dec 2015 #63

"we need to pick up the torch and keep doing the same for sure." Kind of Blue Dec 2015 #64

Did any of those hate mails mention "stockholm syndrome"? zappaman Dec 2015 #70

LOL! No but I did read some advice Kind of Blue Dec 2015 #72

No, Martin Luther King did Not "hang his head in shame".. no matter how many suggested it.. and Cha Dec 2015 #75

You're very, very welcome, Cha! Kind of Blue Dec 2015 #77

Holy shit--and those nasty screeds were banged out on MANUAL typewriters, too! MADem Dec 2015 #76

I know! And some of them are so old Kind of Blue Dec 2015 #78