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Friday, April 04, 2008
Race, Politics, and Religion
Posted by Media Release
Today is the 40th anniversary of the murder of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Cincinnati Branch of the NAACP extends its condolences to the King family. We recognize the King family’s great sacrifice of losing a husband and a father.
The Cincinnati Branch appreciates that Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. consistently spoke truth to power. The African American Church has always been important to the African American Community. Any attack on the African American Church is an attack on the African American Community.
Smitherman says, “Both Rev. King and Rev. Wright challenged the status quo regarding American wars during their life time. Both consequently, were called Anti-American. The recent bomb threats on Rev. Wright’s church are completely unacceptable. The death threats made against Rev. Wright are a sign that even after 40 years we have not made the progress needed for peace and justice for all. I believe strongly that the United States Government had a great deal to do with the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and should be held accountable for its involvement”
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04 Apr 2008 at 11:09 pm | #
CSBS: “ Any attack on the African American Church is an attack on the African American Community.”
What about, African Americans that chose not to believe in the African American Church; what ever that is? If they decide they are not really being attacked as a community, can they be excommunicated from the church?
CSBS: “ Smitherman says,”
MLK, may have been wrongly called anti-American, but Rev Wrong and Smitherman certainly seem to fit the mould. I certainly am glad that, in this game of life, we all aren’t tied in, to do whatever, Smitherman Says.
05 Apr 2008 at 06:52 am | #
The statments Smitherman makes are ridiculous. Why would the U.S. government want to assasinate MLK? I have less and less respect for this branch of the NAACP all the time. If Smitherman was so concerned with fighting for equality maybe he should take a page out of King’s book and quit trying to be divisive. Maybe he should be working with the inner-city neighborhoods and trying to clean them up. That would go a long way to repairing the image of his chapter and help to end stereotypes that perpetuate racism as well.
Also, I question why the Beacon keeps giving this guy a sounding board for his opinions. Does “the Dean” and Justin Jeffre also believe that LBJ ordered King to be murdered.
05 Apr 2008 at 07:02 am | #
http://www.ratical.org/ratville/JFK/MLKconExp.html
You act like Smitherman is just making this stuff up…
05 Apr 2008 at 07:10 am | #
Text of the lawsuit:
http://www.courttv.com/archive/trials/mlk-civil/complaint_ctv.html
06 Apr 2008 at 07:43 am | #
Well, apparently “40 years into the past” is “Where Smitherman’s vision is going.”
Dean: there’s nothing specific in either the linked-to complaint or the linked-to conspiracy page finding a US government agency culpable for participation in King’s assassination.
Does Smitherman actually ever do anything in the present in Cincinnati vis-a-vis Advancing Persons of Color? He seems mainly to issue silly press releases and confound promoting his organization’s non-profit status with his for-profit self employment (not as a “certified” Financial Planner, mind you: just a “financial planner").
But: from the King family complaint, I know now that outrage(!) apparently is a tortious action so maybe Smitherman can start filing some lawsuits.
06 Apr 2008 at 04:51 pm | #
Interesting how anytime Mr. Smitherman speaks up (or should I say “speaks uppity”?), the usual suspects pile on here in the comments section (as opposed to writing a substantive rebuttal).
Well, if his actions result in disapproval from this familiar gang of idiots, he’s clearly on the right track. Cincinnati/middle America has always been filled with such high-minded, self-appointed enforcers of conventional wisdom, those who instinctively hop to attention whenever power is challenged. Those who’ve lived a few years know that the social order changes in spite of their attempts to stifle dissent.
Mr. Smitherman’s got energy; what he lacks is focus. Hope he finds it along the way. In the meantime, he’s a hell of a lot more interesting than that old bunch of status quo NAACP’ers. I hope he turns up the volume. This town could use some changes.
09 Apr 2008 at 08:20 pm | #
Well, I guess the Commenting Rules are suspended unless an impotent, generalized, unfocused characterization as “idiots” constitutes erudite discourse these days.
Anon: isn’t is “interesting” that Smitherman NEVER issues news releases on NAACP masthead regarding anything POSITIVE the ORGANIZATION is doing for the Colored People Community?
How his pronouncements invariably are his opinions on matters largely unrelated to Cincinnati goings-ons? Why do you think this is?
I nominate Justin Jeffre to be the next NAACP-Cincinnati chapter president; do I have a second? I will join specifically to vote for him against this charlatan currently expending Chapter resources for his own benefit.
10 Apr 2008 at 09:00 am | #
#6: “Mr. Smitherman’s got energy; what he lacks is focus.”
Oh, he has focus, unfortunately it’s not on the advancement of other colored people, (as he was elected to do), it’s on improving his own fortunes and fame, both financially and as an Al Sharpton wannabe. Any issue he feels he can exploit, using his racially divisive agenda, will be.
BTW, Charles Manson is interesting too; don’t you agree? But being interesting isn’t the same thing as having a positive effect on society.