PFT Commenter continuing to make us all think.
Quote:
Fan of the Week: Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Why Dr. King would of supported Riley Cooper, my column":
Todays a great day in American history where we can look back on all the great chacnges we've made and all the battles we've won against discrimination. But sadly, there are still those out there among us who would disavow the teachings of Dr. King and allow racial intolerents to persist.
Of course, I'm speaking of those who still harbor resentment for Riley Cooper. Mr. Cooper is probably the most Martin-Luther-King-Jr- like of any NFL player, and its terribly sad to see people continue to harrass him just because of the type of words he naturally uses. I think we all could use a history lesson from Dr. King when it comes to understanding Coopers life, and how the only way to fight someone whose trying to fight you because of the color of your skin is to not fight them.
Riley didnt exactley have the easiest life leading up to his career either. Coming from a background where as a white wide recever he was technicaly a minority being pressured into following more traditional paths like becoming homecoming king or quaterback. A country kid from the Clearwater whose more used to wake 'n' lake then wake 'n' bake was cast as a fish out of water at a Universty so street even their coaches office was a urban environment.
Dr. King would of forgiven Cooper the instant he said "sorry I said those words." If you hold a grudge, the grudge actualy ends up holding you. In fact, Kings major problem with this whole ginned-up controversey would be the fact that the word is used as a exclusive tool to divide us instead of letting white people use it to demean minorties. Dr. Kings message, first and foremost, was "Racism is a WE problem" and before the healing can truly begin, I think both races need to acknowlege they had a part in Riley Coopers outburst.
King was locked up for his beliefs, and anyone who refuses to support Cooper for his redempton is figuratively spitting on "Notes from a Birmingham Jail." You know folks I know another guy that wrote alot of his ideas down while he was in prison, and the real danger comes when people misuse everything they were trying to say in order to support there own selfish causes. Can you imagine trying to explain to MLK that his principles of Civil Disobedence laid the foundation for Terrell Owens to do sit ups in his driveway, or for DeAngelo Williams to continue to honor his familys history of breast cancer? He probably would of rather just stayed home and watch cartoons