Tag Archives: Martin Luther King

Martin Luther King Day, 2023

January 16, Martin Luther King Day, falls the day after what would have been King’s 95th birthday, a reminder of how young he was during his ministry. It’s really not that long ago. The holiday offers a good chance for … Continue reading

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Dilemmas and Dynamics of Escalation (5)

Crisis provokes escalation. Escalation can mean more people engaging in action, taking on an approach that is new for them. It can mean some people taking on more aggressive, disruptive, or risky actions. The tragic school shooting at the Robb … Continue reading

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Dilemmas and Dynamics of Escalation (2)

Wynn Bruce set himself on fire in front of the Supreme Court toward the end of Earth Day. He was evacuated by helicopter and died in a hospital the next day. Concerned with government inaction on climate change, and deeply … Continue reading

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Martin Luther King Day, January 17, 2022

Posterity has rescued an image of Martin Luther King, at the expense of the man’s own broader political vision. Continue reading

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Martin Luther King Day, 2021

January 18, Martin Luther King Day, falls three days after what would have been King’s 92nd birthday, a reminder of how young he was during his ministry. Here I repost a slightly edited version of last year’s post on the … Continue reading

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Rosa Parks bus defiance, anniversary.

Today’s entry reposts on the anniversary of Rosa Parks’s refusal to move to the back of a Montgomery bus. Fifty-seven (now, 61) years ago today, Rosa Parks refused to move to the back of a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama.  When local activists learned about … Continue reading

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Cesar Chavez Day, 2020

In the virtual lockdown we’re living through in California, where one day bleeds into another, I’d almost forgotten about Cesar Chavez Day.  Here’s a piece I wrote about the holiday in 2018, recycled, augmented, and reedited, with a few distressing … Continue reading

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Martin Luther King Day, 2020

January 20, Martin Luther King Day, falls five days after what would have been King’s 90th birthday, a reminder of how young he was during his ministry. Here I repost a slightly edited version of last year’s post on the … Continue reading

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Martin Luther King Day, 2019

Yesterday Vice President Mike Pence compared his boss, Donald Trump, to Martin Luther King. Really. I don’t know whether the comparison is a true reflection of Pence’s ignorance, or just his subservience.  But minimally, the day of commemoration should be … Continue reading

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Civility and its discontents

Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House Press Secretary, probably made the right call in leaving the Red Hen restaurant during the appetizer course. When the owner of a restaurant tells you that the staff doesn’t want to feed you–regardless of … Continue reading

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