Remembering Martin Luther King in 2014

If Martin Luther King had lived, he would be 85 on January 15, 2014.

The struggle for civil rights continues with the struggle for equality. Although the Constitution clearly states "all men are created equal," we have been living in a kind of apartheid in the USA. That is, certain people have a full set of rights and other people have their lesser set of rights. Uh-uh, honeys! Not American, not Constitutional and none of us are having it.

It was the Suffrage movement that, in 1920, brought about the 19th amendment that "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex."

America's Civil Rights Movement (1955-1968) was based on non-violent civil disobedience to end discrimination and inequality based on race. Martin Luther King, a preacher, activist, humanitarian, and leader led this movement and became a martyr when he was assassinated in March 1968.

Last year, Irene Monroe wrote in Huffington Post: [King's] now-deceased wife, Coretta Scott King... addressed the LGBTQ rights group Lambda Legal [in 1998], asserting that LGBTQ rights and civil rights are the same. "I appeal to everyone who believes in Martin Luther King's dream to make room at the table of brother and sisterhood for lesbian and gay people," she said.

We remember and give our many, grateful thanks to Rev. Martin Luther King as the struggle for equality continues.

Inauguration Proclamation 2013

In his Inauguration address today, President Obama proclaimed: "Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law. For if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well." This is to be applauded; a sign of hope; a defiance of all the haters.

It was also the observance of Martin Luther King Day today, which made the struggle for equality all that more poignant. As dance diva Debby Holiday revealed on her Facebook timeline: 

"As a little girl ... I remember walking down the street in LA, holding my white mother's hand (and, child I mean WHITE)!!  We rec'd stares everywhere. I mean EVERYwhere!! Sometimes people were even quite cruel to my mother.  As if she'd committed the ultimate sin. Lovin one of them Negros.

"So, on this day ... where America Inaugurated our first Black President (well, mixed like me) AGAIN - meaning it was not a fluke, on MLK's official Birthday, and said the word Gay for the first time in an Inauguration speech & hearing his continued belief in equal pay for women & a road for our immigrants towards citizenship & dignity ... Well, on this day ... that little mixed girl is smiling.

"Because now -- as a woman who is proud of her black & Irish heritage & loves her gay friends & her friends of just about every nationality ... On this day ... this Woman is Proud of how far we've come since that little girl bowed her head in confusion and, I am so damn hopeful for the road ahead."

That truly describes the advances we've made in America towards total equality and a just and fair society, and against discrimination, hatred and prejudice. Today was an outstanding day that we, in the USA, celebrate! We are a society that no longer discriminates against women, people of color and people of various affectionate orientations. We have progressed. We have largely fulfilled Dr Martin Luther King's dream.

And, I assume it was no coincidence that two gay-fave and fabulous divas were asked to perform at the Inauguration: Beyonce ("National Anthem", introduced by New York's own Chuck Schumer) and Kelly Clarkson ("My Country T'is of Thee," known elsewhere as "God Bless the King" )! I was especially proud of Kelly since she took my advice from my most viral blog post to date. http://djbuddybeaverhausen.blogspot.com/2011/12/advising-kelly-clarkson.html