catherine
10-16-11, 7:59am
I was reading about the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial dedication today, and apparently there are a couple of controversies, one of which is the quote inscribed on the monument:
Celebrated poet and author Maya Angelou has a different objection to the memorial, saying that one of the quotes has been edited to make King appear arrogant.
It reads: "I was a drum major for justice peace and righteousness."
Angelou says an important clause was taken out of the passage from a 1968 sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta.
King's original words were: "If you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter."
Leaving out the "if" changes the meaning, Angelou said.
"It should not be seen like he was so full of himself. Because he was not. He was a very humble man," she said. "It is not an apt reportage of what Dr. King said. It is an edited statement."
That is my favorite speech of King's (The Drum Major Instinct) and I agree completely with Maya Angelou. Why would they edit it in this way?? MLK is probably rolling in his grave. He wasn't saying "Look at me--I'm a drum major for peace"--the point of the speech is that every single person wants to be a "drum major" and so why put that instinct to good use--every one of us can be a drum major for peace and justice.
That's too bad. Otherwise I'm thrilled the MLK is taking his rightful place on the Washington Mall with Lincoln and Jefferson and our fallen war heros.
Celebrated poet and author Maya Angelou has a different objection to the memorial, saying that one of the quotes has been edited to make King appear arrogant.
It reads: "I was a drum major for justice peace and righteousness."
Angelou says an important clause was taken out of the passage from a 1968 sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta.
King's original words were: "If you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter."
Leaving out the "if" changes the meaning, Angelou said.
"It should not be seen like he was so full of himself. Because he was not. He was a very humble man," she said. "It is not an apt reportage of what Dr. King said. It is an edited statement."
That is my favorite speech of King's (The Drum Major Instinct) and I agree completely with Maya Angelou. Why would they edit it in this way?? MLK is probably rolling in his grave. He wasn't saying "Look at me--I'm a drum major for peace"--the point of the speech is that every single person wants to be a "drum major" and so why put that instinct to good use--every one of us can be a drum major for peace and justice.
That's too bad. Otherwise I'm thrilled the MLK is taking his rightful place on the Washington Mall with Lincoln and Jefferson and our fallen war heros.