Posted on 04.09.2018

One Good Man - Charlie's Soapbox 4/9/18

This past week marked the fifty-year anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I remember it well, we had only been in Nashville for about a year. I was working at a club six nights a week and I remember going to work early so the club could observe the local curfew.

There was an indescribable, intangible feeling in the city, almost as if some overnight storm had blown all the oxygen out of town and dark confusing feelings came to bear as we watched America’s inner cities explode and riot and it was almost as if something was telling us that it was never going to be alright again.

It was hard to believe, that of all the highly visible people who were leading the struggle for equal rights for the black race, this gentle, Christian man, who preached, lived and breathed non-violence, this humble crusader, would be the one that whoever or whatever, I am still not convinced that there weren’t deeper and darker powers behind James Earl Ray, was behind this horrible deed would choose to silence.

Not the firebrands, not the purveyors of social unrest and street violence, but the one man, the one catalyst that brought together all the elements, the angry young men, the agitators, the hate-filled and the moderate and molded them into a cohesive peaceful movement, that was rapidly gaining momentum and converts of all races.

One can only wonder what would have happened had Dr. King lived, if he had had more years to prove that the goals of his race could be accomplished by motivating not only African Americans but members of all races who had finally started to “get it”, had finally begun to understand that the black race had largely been deprived of a fair shot at the American Dream, that educational, occupational and social status had systematically been denied them and it was way past time to level the field.

With the death of President John F. Kennedy, the movement had lost some ground but now Lyndon Johnson, had already tacitly committed to helping Dr. King move the agenda along, and much of white America, after a century of denial and repression, had begun to admit the sins of our fathers and the inherent attitude of white supremacy that pervaded so much of our society.

And, all of a sudden on April 4th, 1968, one bullet was to change the course of a nation for years to come, and it seemed that any fences that had been mended, any bridges that had been crossed, any headway that had been made between the races came crashing down as city after city was burned and looted and many old fears and anger surfaced.

There was no one to pick up the pieces, no one to calm the anger, and the blossom of a peaceful and orderly solution to America’s racial problems withered on the vine as the unrest grew for a season as hotter heads prevailed and the symbol the movement became the raised fist.

But the legacy of Martin Luther King was too strong to be destroyed. There were still those who still faithfully ascribed to his doctrine of non-violence, who understood that leaving a city in ashes and practicing incendiary rhetoric was not the answer and accomplished even less understanding and empathy causing an ever-widening chasm between the races.

They empathized the need for education and political muscle, for personal responsibility and strong family ties. And because of their efforts much has been accomplished, producing black senators, congressmen, successful entrepreneurs and business leaders, governors, a secretary of state and a two-term African American president.

Unfortunately, there is another side of this coin and it seems that the leadership of that faction are not really interested in bridging the divides or working on the problems of the African American community from the inside, but to blame all the problems on outside forces and racial animosity that, for the most part, doesn’t even exist anymore.

One can only wonder how things would have progressed had Dr. King lead the movement for another decade or so. A man who had the respect of the nation, the ear of politicians and the courage to face whatever obstacles that crossed his path.
Shortly before he died, Dr. King said he had been to the mountaintop and he had looked over into the promised land and that “we as a people” would get to the promised land.

What do you think?

What a vision, what a dream, what a man!

Pray for our troops, our police and the peace of Jerusalem.

God Bless America

— Charlie Daniels

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Comments

Charlies soap box
You are a mans word, you are a mans handshake when it meant something. You are what has been slowly whittled away from this country and you always have been. I have listened to your music for as long as I can remember . You are what you have always been and thats much more rare than it is common. Thank you for your gift of your music and thank God for the gift of you. Sometimes we wonder if what we are doing is making a difference or having an effect, you are and it is. When are you coming to Minnesota again I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Yours truly Thomas McDonald.
Posted by Tom
The Good Die Young
Amen, Amen & Amen Charlie, the saying the Good Die Young applies here. As you stated, James Earl Ray did not act alone and many members of Reverend King's community have long suspected Jesse Jackson involvement. All I know for sure is that Jesse lied about where he was when it happened and his story is different today. This is why I never tried to lie, because it is hard to remember a story that is different from the facts as you know them. All I know is that I have seen Jesse Jackson stand with Fidel Castro and smoke $100.00 cigars with him as preaches of another Gospel, the one of Communism. Unfortunately like Kennedy, King was cut short on fulfilling his mission in life. nuff said God Bless Plowboy
Posted by Plowboy
What is this?
How anyone could praise Dr. Martin Luther King and find any value in Donald Trump is a paradox beyond my understanding.
Posted by Dana
Wayne
Wayne, before your post is approved, you are going to have to prove that Charlie has specifically lashed out at African American illegitimacy as opposed to statements to the effect of ANYONE who fathers a child should be required to support that child until the age of eighteen, and also where Charlie has trashed rap music. - TeamCDB
Posted by TeamCDB
one good man
Great post as usual Charlie but I'd like to see you "drain the swamp" on here of people like Dana. *NOTE* Charlie asks, "What do you think?" at the end of his soapboxes. Her opinion is welcome. - TeamCDB
Posted by Robert
To Robert
Maybe Charlie values freedom of speech.
Posted by Dana
Trump is closer to MLK than any other President.
OK, Dana, I'll take your question straight. MLK supported Israel. Trump has recognized that Jerusalem is the obvious capital of Israel. No other president has done so. As a Jew, I am pleased that Trump has flown in the face of the antisemites who infest the State Department and who always advise Presidents that "Jews are an inconvenient people. The majority of the world hates Jews, and therefore America should act against them." Trump ignored the State Department, and instead he did what MLK would have done had MLK been President: He recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. God bless President Trump!
Posted by Allan
Not much of an answer but thanks for trying
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. did not run a real estate company or sail around in a private yacht or have a game show on TV. Donald Trump did not face racial discrimination or fight against it. He participated in it. Donald Trump blocked black people from renting his apartments until he was successfully sued by the Department of Justice. The definition of anti-Semitism does not hinge on whether or not one supports the American Embassy being relocated to Jerusalem. If you think that Martin Luther King Jr. and Donald Trump have a lot in common, you have missed a lot about both of them.
Posted by dana
A song for everyone
The social unrest seen in 1968 can only be compared to the American Civil War. Charlie,have you ever thought about writing a song about that time in our lives. Few people could tell this story like you.
Posted by bill (good guy with a gun)
The definition of anti-Semitism indeed hinges on whether recognition of Jerusalem.
Don't get me wrong, Dana. I don't mean to imply that Muslims have a right to Mecca. They do NOT. Nor do I mean that Catholics have a right to the Vatican. They do NOT. Nor do I think it would be an insult to take the John Lennon memorial in Central Park and change it into a pistol-shooting practice range for the NYPD. It would NOT. Clearly, such matters are of no importance and mean nothing. As per your logic at any rate. ||| As for your point about facing discrimination: I Personally have faced as much of it as King, short of assassination. So to all the tormentors I have faced in my life I would like to offer this partial list: We Jews did not plan 9/11, we do not harvest organs for sell on the black market, we do not bake matzoh with the blood of either Muslim or Christian children, we did not come to America with millions of dollars in secret gold, we do not run a secret "ZOG", We are not "fake Semites", and finally, YOUR love of Anne Frank does not impress us (because you do NOT love Golda Meir, you obviously love Anne Frank because she did what you wanted her to do---she died without killing any of you). Donald Trump's grandchild, being Jewish, will face as much prejudice as MLK, and probably more (because he IS one who is wealthy, and Jews with money drive anti-Semites especially nuts). Hopefully for his sake, he has inherited the Donald Trump gene for fighting back. He is my kind of people after all...
Posted by Allan
To Allen
Not sure what to make of your response, Allan. Still no idea why you think Trump is like Dr. Martin Luther King. Three presidents have cited security concerns for not moving the American embassy to Jerusalem. I see no reason to slander them as anti-Semites.
Posted by Dana
MLK
Allan said: > As for your point about facing discrimination: I Personally have faced as much of it as King, short of assassination. Allan, have you been jailed repeatedly, stabbed in the chest, hit in the head with a rock, blacklisted, wiretapped, threatened by the FBI, and had bomb threats? If not, then you have not faced as much discrimination as MLK.
Posted by Gee