On MLK Day, President Obama Posts Copy of Emancipation Proclamation in Oval Office

I think that is great!

Wonder if He remembers that it was a Republican that wrote it?

The “Emancipation Proclamation” was / is not worth the paper on which it is / was scribbled. It was an empty gesture that had not one iota of liberating impact, from the same President who had given the executive order for the slaughter of Lakota. The original “document” was so worthless that Lincoln gave it to then Secretary of State Seward, who gave it to his son, who auctioned it, and now it resides within the New York State Library System. I would have preferred the LBJ voting rights legislation as a more fitting tribute.

“The “Emancipation Proclamation” was / is not worth the paper on which it is / was scribbled.” Granted the proclamation accomplished nothing – it freed slaves in rebelling states beyond the Union’s control and kept those in the Union in chains – was an attempt to put slavery in the center of the conflict and alienate the South from potential allies such as Great Britain. Even so, it was and is a great symbol to the anti-slavery and civil rights movements. Oddly enough, the Constitution and the amendment abolishing slavery never mentions “slave” or “slavery” – just “involuntary servitude” – so technically the government can’t force you to enter the military or even serve on a jury unless you want to or are serving a sentence.

There is still more work to be done in American society with regards all people being racially equal.—- and
where are they not equal? We have
asian, indian, and many others that
all vi for the same jobs. We all compete
and nothing is ever truely fair for anyone. There is no profession that
a black person is kept from if they
work for it. There are many very wealthy black people and very many successful ones. There are many non-profit schools that will help students
with costs. There are many ways and to say that someone did not get the job based on race is silly in this day and age and it just could be the persons skill level or his/her personality.

…that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government…

t is great Ithat we celebrate
but can anyone tell me if any slaves
are still alive?
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Even the slightest study of history will show you that racism and segregation existed long after slavery ended.
In fact, racist segregation extended well into the 1960s. Black people were commonly discriminated against.
Many, many people are alive who experienced and lived under that discrimination.
Lots of people would tell you that discrimination is still active today in the minds and behaviors of many people.
You’re naive if you think all of that is ‘long gone’.
We’re working on it.

MLK was a Republican, chiefly because all the oppressors in the south were Democrats — true — check your history…
csbd | Jan 18, 2010 9:12:01 PM
There is not one, single African American Republican in Congress out of over 200 in their caucus. True – not a single one. Check your newspaper.
jhw539 | January 18, 2010 at 09:30 PM
Oops, I left out the African American. Just like the modern Republican party.

Irrespective of the endless drivel to the contrary, the “Emancipation Proclamation” did not have the strength of the broken pencil with which it was written. It was a vacuous ornament that does not deserve to hang over the symbolic head of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr…
LAB 550 | Jan 18, 2010 9:36:15 PM
Luckily, Dr King made his thoughts on the issue known during his lifetime during a little speech of his that you (and I wager a great many right wingers) are apparently not familiar with.
“Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of captivity.” Martin Luther King, Address at March on Washington, Aug. 28, 1963
Just more drivel to contrary, Right?

The history relevant to the United States is predominately about slavery, racism and segregation of blacks by whites. You will certainly also find incidents of prejudice towards Catholics, Italians, Polish, Hispanics, Ukranians, Chinese, Vietnamese, Pakistanis and so on. Ignorance has known no bounds. We are learning and progressing.
—————
You left out one, Tierra. We must never forget the fact that this country was stolen from the Native American tribes and nations that existed long before the first settlers from England or Europe touched foot on America’s soil.
The crimes committed against all those you mentioned above are no worse than the genocidal slaughter and oppression that Native Americans have experienced.

If this be a revolution, then let it begin tomorrow, in Massachusetts!

Being from Africa doesnt make you black. Egypt is in Africa. Its a continent not a country. Just like being black doesnt make you a civil rights leader. Look at Obama.

Great to see he is not playing the race card and wasting time while our country and Haiti spiral out of control during wars crisis and unemployment. By the way MLK and Abraham Lincoln were both Republicans. LOL

I wonder if Blacks in America are cognizant of how badly the have been served by the current majority party in both houses of Congress.
A look at the demographics which show that 70% of black children are born into fatherless household coupled with a look the statistics that indicate that children without a father in the home are more likely to live in poverty and experience developmental problems should be instructive.
It appears the that the main clients of the planned parenthood clinics are Black women.
It’s really a wonder that the current majority party in Congress continues to get such a large majority of the Black vote, usually 90% plus.

Posted by: tierra | Jan 18, 2010 11:03:23 PM
In many ways the Republicans are no better than the Democrats….
Enumerated powers! Smaller, less intrusive government, self-reliance… the wave of the future…

Smaller, less intrusive government, self-reliance…
__________________________________
Nonsense. That is exactly what the Republicans with Bush as leader promised.
Guess what we got? Exactly the opposite. Government debt doubled. Government deficit expanded hugely.
Crashed economy that threw many people back on welfare or unemployment insurance, etc.
Now you get to run on your record. And its a record of failure.

Posted by: tierra | Jan 18, 2010 11:18:28 PM
If it worked out so badly under Republicans, why is Mr. Obama doubling down? Why are you supporting him?

Right on…
Not to mention that hundreds of thousands white men died during the civil war to free the slaves…

You seem to forget that Mr. Obama doubled Mr. Bushes contribution to the national debt in just one year in office. Next year will be even worse. He has beggared the people. Our children and grandchildren will not be able to afford the government services they will need because of Mr. Obama’s profligate spending.
That is, unless he chooses to monetarize his excesses. That will lead to unlimited inflation, the most cruel and most regressive tax possible.
Besides the common defense, the most basic responsibility of government is to a stable currency. That way the poor can hope to put aside a few bucks to eventually achieve a higher station.
Under a situation of rapid inflation such as seen under the Democrat presidency of Jimmy Carter, the poor have no hope. Inflation will steal the value of their savings faster than they can accumulate them…
Mr. Obama will steal the widow’s mite through inflation… wait for it..

As he died to make men holy…
Let us die to make men free…
Battle Hymn of the Republic…

The irony is that those who were tolerant are no longer tolerated…

jhw539-Lots of people would tell you that discrimination is still active today in the minds and behaviors of many people.
You’re naive if you think all of that is ‘long gone’.
We’re working on it.
—-Never said it was long gone and
to be honest and truthful it goes both
ways. There are many that will never be
friends or respect the white population
because they have been told over and over that they will always get a raw deal from whites. That is very much a sterotype from their perception. We will never have everyone like everyone
and that is human nature. But we can
be respectful of each other.

The crimes committed against all those you mentioned above are no worse than the genocidal slaughter and oppression that Native Americans have experienced.—-that is very true..

You seem to forget that Mr. Obama doubled Mr. Bushes contribution to the national debt in just one year in office.
____________________________________
Again, complete nonsense. The Bush administration basically doubled the national debt to $10 TRILLION dollars. The President has not doubled the national debt to $20 TRillION dollars.
You also conveniently forget the Republicans under Bush came in promising to REDUCE the deficit and the national debt. They did the EXACT OPPOSITE of what they boasted they would do.
And you also conveniently forget the Bush administration left the biggest financial disaster since the Great Depression on the table for the new administration – putting HUGE strains on both state and federal budgets.
Every western industrialized country has gone into DEFICIT funding, stimulus plans and tax cuts attempting to halt the freefalls of their economies.
You conveniently forget all this.
Those who haven’t forgotten the past will most certainly NOT be voting Republican. Those with the attention span of a fruit fly might . . .