Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth died today

[EffieBlack]

Rev. Shuttlesworth, among other things, helped to lay the groundwork for the OWS protests more than 50 years ago. He was leading protests in the belly of the beast when doing so could easily get you killed. His house was firebombed, he was constantly under threat, but he stood tall. Dr. King called him "the most courageous civil rights fighter in the South."

Rest in peace, Rev. Shuttlesworth.

[gateley]

1. Rest in peace, Reverend. Your good deeds go with you. nt

[ProSense]

2. President Obama's statement

Statement by the President on the Passing of Civil Rights Leader Fred Shuttlesworth

Michelle and I were saddened to hear about the passing of Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth today. As one of the founders of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Reverend Shuttlesworth dedicated his life to advancing the cause of justice for all Americans. He was a testament to the strength of the human spirit. And today we stand on his shoulders, and the shoulders of all those who marched and sat and lifted their voices to help perfect our union.

I will never forget having the opportunity several years ago to push Reverend Shuttlesworth in his wheelchair across the Edmund Pettus Bridge – a symbol of the sacrifices that he and so many others made in the name of equality. America owes Reverend Shuttlesworth a debt of gratitude, and our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Sephira, and their family, friends and loved ones.

[FrenchieCat]

3. Thank you!

:cry:

[bigwillq]

4. RIP

K and R

[ruggerson]

5. He was for equality only if you were straight

He did some good things and some bad.

http://blackcincinnati.blogspot.com/2004/08/sclcs-rev-fred-shuttlesworth-opposes.html

I think it's appropriate to look at his life in its totality.

[EffieBlack]

6. That's not true - please don't smear this good man by suggesting he was an anti-gay bigot

"I differ with {Rick Warren} sharply on his position on this issue. I don't think we ought to put into law any discriminatory action against people because of race, ethnicity or sexual orientation. I oppose that . . . I've never said I support gay marriage. I support gay rights, and I support civil unions. Like a whole lot of people, I have some difficulty with the term 'gay marriage' because...deeply rooted in my heart and mind, marriage is associated with 'man and woman.' So I have a little cultural shock with that, but I certainly support civil unions, and that gay partners ought to have all the rights that any other citizens have in this country."

http://pageoneq.com/news/2008/Obamas_Inaugural_benediction_pastor_Lowrey_clarifies_stance_on_gay__1224.html

I think that's pretty progressive for a man of his age, time and background. He was always growing, always evolving.

Rev. Shuttlesworth was a great and decent man. He lived a remarkable life. Now is not the time to nitpick whether he was perfect or whether he was as progressive in every respect as someone who came along at a different time and grew up in a different environment. None of us is perfect But I doubt there are many of us who have or ever will do as much for humankind as Rev. Shuttlesworth did.

[bigwillq]

7. What is it with straights and the word marriage?

They want it all for themselves. Share the word, dammit! It should be for everybody! :)

[FrenchieCat]

8. We wasn't perfect.

He is gone now.

This is a thread about that.

[bigwillq]

11. Oops

I think the straight people are mad.

[FrenchieCat]

13. It's not like anyone attacked him before he died.

Do you even know what he ever did?

Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth (born Freddie Lee Robinson on March 18, 1922 – October 5, 2011) was a civil rights activist who led the fight against segregation and other forms of racism as a minister in Birmingham, Alabama. He was a co-founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, was instrumental in the 1963 Birmingham Campaign, and continued to work against racism and for alleviation of the problems of the homeless in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he took up a pastorate in 1961. He returned to Birmingham after his retirement in 2007.

Shuttlesworth was portrayed by Roger Robinson in the television miniseries King. The Birmingham Airport is named after him.

n 1953 and was Membership Chairman of the Alabama state chapter of the NAACP in 1956, when the State of Alabama formally outlawed it from operating within the state. In May, 1956 Shuttlesworth and Ed Gardner established the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights to take up the work formerly done by the NAACP.

The ACMHR raised almost all of its funds from local sources at mass meetings. It used both litigation and direct action to pursue its goals. When the authorities ignored the ACMHR's demand that the City hire black police officers, the organization sued. Similarly, when the United States Supreme Court ruled in December 1956 that bus segregation in Montgomery, Alabama was unconstitutional, Shuttlesworth announced that the ACMHR would challenge segregation laws in Birmingham on December 26, 1956.

On December 25, 1956, unknown persons tried to kill Shuttlesworth by placing sixteen sticks of dynamite under his bedroom window. Shuttlesworth somehow escaped unhurt even though his house was heavily damaged. A police officer, who also belonged to the Ku Klux Klan, told Shuttlesworth as he came out of his home, "If I were you I'd get out of town as quick as I could". Shuttlesworth told him to tell the Klan that he was not leaving and "I wasn't saved to run."

Fred Shuttlesworth led a group that integrated Birmingham's buses the next day, then sued after police arrested twenty-one passengers. His congregation built a new parsonage for him and posted sentries outside his house.

Shuttlesworth was apparently personally fearless, even though he was aware of the risks he ran. Other committed activists were scared off or mystified by his willingness to accept the risk of death. Shuttlesworth himself vowed to "kill segregation or be killed by it".


Commemorative statue of Rev. Shuttlesworth
located in front of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

[bigwillq]

15. I am well aware of what he did.

I did not know, however, his stance on gay marriage until Effie above, in her own thread, brought it up.

[FrenchieCat]

19. So he didn't do enough in his life that was good to have one thread about his death?

that doesn't discuss what he didn't do?

Cause till I posted, no one talked much about what he did do.

Btw, Effie didn't bring it up his stance on marriage equality,
although she clarified that perhaps he didn't go as far as many would have liked,
he went further than many.....

But the man died today. He made a real difference in the quest for equal rights period,
regardless of if it wasn't to upmost of all perfection by the time he passed.

[bigwillq]

23. There's several threads on his death.

I posted in one already in GD.

[ruggerson]

18. I assure you that much of the LGBT community of color

has long been at odds with the SCLC over the issue of marriage equality.

[FrenchieCat]

21. I understand, but the man died today.

He was 89 years old.

He survived an explosion of his house by the Klan.

Perhaps a nice long thread about all of what you didn't care for
in this man to be posted tomorrow, no? :shrug:

[EffieBlack]

9. The man was 89 years old and did more for civil rights for EVERYONE than just about anyone alive or

dead.

GIVE IT A REST!!! The man died today. Can't you give the crusading a rest for just a minute while we pay tribute to someone to whom we ALL owe a debt?!

Good Lord!

[bigwillq]

12. Oops

I think the straight people are mad.

[ruggerson]

14. Do not mischaracterize what I wrote as a "smear"

There were/are many people of his generation who SUPPORT marriage equality fully and vocally, including the late Coretta Scott King and Mildred Loving.

As you can see by the link I provided, it was his choice to very publicly announce his "strong" opposition to marriage equality.

People are complicated. But ignoring historic facts is not in the best interests of anyone.

[bigwillq]

16. STOP IT!

We are not allowed to post this here. Frenchie said so.
Remember, we can't post anything unless Frenchie allows it.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=433&topic_id=790581&mesg_id=790679

:rofl:

[EffieBlack]

17. I agree that people are complicated

And because of that, I don't think it's appropriate to nitpick them hours after their deaths in a supposed attempt to "present historic facts." History will well document exactly where Rev. Shuttlesworth stood on various issues. But I think it's unseemly to attack a man who did and endured as much as he did because, although he strongly supported gay rights and civil unions, he hadn't quite evolved to supporting gay marriage before he died.

If anybody deserves a "pass" for not getting to pure perfection on the issue of civil rights, it's Rev. Shuttlesworth. He's earned at least a respectful tribute without all of the "but, but, but - he wasn't perfect on EVERY issue" immediately after his death.

[bigwillq]

20. You are right.

And you make some very good points.

But folks can't be telling folks what they can or cannot post. The risk you take by starting a thread on a public message board is that you might get responses that you don't like.

[FrenchieCat]

24. I think you have posted exactly what you wanted.....

Including a hearty Harty har har at my expense.

I know that everyone else is perfect that dies....
who might end up with a couple of threads commemorating his death.

Heck, some folks get multiple threads upon their death, and not a word in any
about their imperfections. You want me to find some for you,
so that you can see how those folks got the respect that
evidently some don't think this man deserved?

[bigwillq]

26. It's funny how you told me

that this is not the place for this type of conversation but yet you keep responding.

No one's stopping you from posting things to honor his death. I'm not. Go all out.

[ruggerson]

25. I don't think we're either "nitpicking" nor discussing "pure perfection"

but if you would rather discuss this at another time, that's fine with me.

[ruggerson]

27. BTW EFFIE -

I think the quotes in your link came from Joseph Lowery and not from Shuttlesworth

[bigwillq]

28. Did EB hit and run?

:shrug:

:P

:rofl:

[EffieBlack]

29. You're right! I stand corrected

:spank:

[ruggerson]

30. No problem

Just to clarify the record - there is no evidence (that I've seen) that Shuttlesworth "strongly supported gay rights and civil unions" and "hadn't quite evolved to supporting gay marriage before he died."

There is indisputable evidence, however, that he voluntarily entered the marriage equality debate at a very fractious time to publicly announce that he "strongly" opposed marriage equality and he used (or misused) the moral authority of the SCLC to underscore his stand.

[Cali_Democrat]

10. Rec for Fred Shuttlesworth

:applause:

[tishaLA]

22. RIP Rev Shuttlesworth