Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Let’s delete this post and never speak of this again.

Fear or fury? The choice is ours.

Trump should be leading, not lying.

Shallow, uninformed, and lacking identity

They were going to turn on one another at some point. It was inevitable.

Make the republican party small enough to drown in a bathtub.

There are a lot more evil idiots than evil geniuses.

Dumb motherfuckers cannot understand a consequence that most 4 year olds have fully sorted out.

Imperialist aggressors must be defeated, or the whole world loses.

One lie, alone, tears the fabric of reality.

Welcome to day five of every-bit-as-bad-as-you-thought-it-would-be.

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

“Everybody’s entitled to be an idiot.”

We know you aren’t a Democrat but since you seem confused let me help you.

Today’s gop: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

We are aware of all internet traditions.

Within six months Twitter will be fully self-driving.

“But what about the lurkers?”

“In this country American means white. everybody else has to hyphenate.”

Shut up, hissy kitty!

The gop is a fucking disgrace.

Anyone who bans teaching American history has no right to shape America’s future.

Keep the Immigrants and deport the fascists!

GOP baffled that ‘we don’t care if you die’ is not a winning slogan.

You are here: Home / Justice / Racial Justice / Post-racial America / Honoring Dr. King’s Day

Honoring Dr. King’s Day

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Fannie_Drum_Background1

From commentor Tony S:

My wife is multiracial.

When we moved to Peekskill about 16 years ago and started searching about the history of the city, we found images of a girl named Fannie Virginia Casseopia Lawrence. She looks very much like my wife, Celine, did, when she was five.

Since then, we’ve discovered that Fannie was one of the most photographed children of the entire Civil War era. At a time when even children of wealth only had a few photos taken their entire childhoods, there are 22 different images of Fannie — and almost 30 if you count different versions of the same pictures.

Fannie was “redeemed” from slavery by a woman named Catherine Lawrence. She went from being property to being a person. Luckily, Lawrence wrote an autobiography, which is available as an e-book.

Here’s an image we did of Fannie to celebrate the holiday…

Tony included a copy of the e-book, and of a video his wife Celine made, but I haven’t been able to open them on my server, unfortunately.

Reader Interactions

142Comments

  1. 1.

    David *Rafael* Koch

    Two big games goin on right now:

    Golden State vs Cleveland on TNT

    Tennessee vs Notre Dame on ESPN 2

  3. 3.

    Mnemosyne

    There was a big event in NYC today called “MLK Now” with a ton of stars, including Octavia Spencer, Anika Noni Rose and, of course, my dude Lin-Manuel Miranda.

    For people seeking a movie to watch, Selma is the top choice, but I can also recommend Boycott, an HBO movie that starred Jeffrey Wright as a young Dr. King. Director Clark Spencer made it in a semi-documentary style that works really well for the story.

  4. 4.

    lamh36

    The best movie about Dr King’s story and one that has been probably watched the most by Black folk, is the tv mini-series “King”

    Nominated for 9 Emmy awards, but not surpisingly winning none!

  9. 9.

    lamh36

    Congrats to #IdrisElba for his TV Best Actor #CriticsChoiceAwards win for ‘Luther’.

    Much deserved…Idris is a beast at playing Luther!

  10. 10.

    lamh36

    @efgoldman: right…is this seriously the fight Chris Christie wants…so he wants to call President Obama a “petulant child” all the time…and now he wants to go after FLOTUS for trying to make children school meals more healthy…

    ok…

  12. 12.

    Roger Moore

    @lamh36:
    Chris Christie just wants to pick a fight in the hopes it will get him some free media attention. He’s flailing and figures any publicity is good publicity at this point.

  13. 13.

    Adam L Silverman

    @efgoldman: @BillinGlendaleCA: @lamh36: I’m big boned. I also squat over 300 lbs and bench press my body weight. My father was grossly to morbidly obese his entire adult life and struggled with it his whole life too. It contributed to his early death at age 63. So I’m not a big fan of making fun of people’s weight, but Governor Christie is somewhere in the same range as my Dad was. Picking silly political fights over proper diet, especially when its clear that one is struggling with obesity, is just stupid. Its not going to get Governor Christie any new supporters. Just go read the comments at conservative websites and blogs that reference him. All of them make fun of his weight, as well as his positions and politics.

  17. 17.

    Schlemazel

    @BillinGlendaleCA:
    Not as boned as we would be if Krust Krusty were elected President. Remember about a year ago when people assumed the fat tube(sic) of shit would be the nominee & we should all be very frightened?

  18. 18.

    lamh36

    @Adam L Silverman: I am not “big boned”…I am just overweight so I don’t fat shame…but whoever the hell figured it’s a good idea for Christie to pick this fight is just downright stupid, IMHO…and lends itself to exactly the type of fat shaming we are thinking of and for no real reason…besides…are they STILL having this fight over FLOTUS wanting healthy food choices in children’s schools?

    It’s complete pandering…besides which…it’s not even a policy that either HRC or Bernie or even the other GOP candidates even discuss.

    I guess he’s going for that 0.00000001% who still cares…smh

  20. 20.

    Patricia Kayden

    @efgoldman: Because you and your sidekicks shut down a bridge for politically partisan reasons. New Jersey-ites better vote him out the next time they get a chance to do so.

  24. 24.

    slag

    Every MLK Day I find myself listening to King’s “kitchen experience”: youtube.com/watch?v=DV7RqizoqJA. Taking the Jesus talk metaphorically, it really is a powerfully humanizing story about finding resolve in the face of overwhelming self-doubt.

  27. 27.

    Adam L Silverman

    @lamh36: I was pretty sure you were not trying to fat shame. And I agree that whoever recommended this was a moron. While its true that a lot of comments on conservative websites make bizarre references to Mrs. Obama’s weight and so does Rush Limbaugh, who hasn’t seen his own toes, let alone other things in 30 years, but this is still a stupid line of attack.

    @efgoldman:
    Unless he can find a sugar daddy sponsor, I agree that he’s soon to be history in terms of the GOP primary.

  29. 29.

    SiubhanDuinne

    I shouldn’t be the least bit surprised at anything Trump says or does at this point, but I must say it takes some gold-plated balls (yoodge and klassy) to give a speech on Martin Luther King Day and basically not mention Martin Luther King.

  30. 30.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Baud: Sure, have your people call my people. I was one of the lead bouncers for three years at the largest nightclub in Scotland: the St. Andrew’s University Student Union. I have plenty of experience. I also have a close quarter combat certification I picked up while I was over there.

  31. 31.

    Adam L Silverman

    @schrodinger’s cat: I’m not floofy and cute is rarely used in my vicinity. I’d love to get rid of this last 15 lbs that went on when I got back from Iraq and had some serious GI issues I came home with that screwed up my system for several years.

  32. 32.

    BruceFromOhio

    Never forget how wide, deep and terrible slavery’s reach was — and how truly repellent the Confederacy that fought to preserve it was and remains.

    Amen, Reverend, amen.

  33. 33.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Rush Limbaugh, who hasn’t seen his own toes, let alone other things in 30 years

    My brother use to do a comedy routine (I’m sure the one-liners were swiped from other stand-up comics) that included:

    I went to the doctor. He said I have “dick-do” disease.

    I said, “Doctor, doctor, what is dick-do disease?”

    He said, “It means your belly sticks out farther than your dick do.”

    I said, “Doctor, doctor, is there any cure?”

    He said, “Yes. You need to diet.”

    I said, “What color?”

  38. 38.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    Thanks for the thread. It’s a good reminder that Bernie Sanders marched with MLKJR in 1963, a year before Hillary Clinton campaigned for Barry Goldwater, who promised to overturn civil rights legislation if elected.

  41. 41.

    Schlemazel

    @Adam L Silverman:
    I’m big boned too but only the bone in my stomach the rest are all pretty normal. Although as I get older the bones in my chest seem to be growing too.

  42. 42.

    lamh36

    Lordy…I despair for some white folks…

    @KSF9027
    This pisses me off…MLK would not shut down traffic.

    ICYMI: Protesters block Bay Bridge in MLK day protest

  44. 44.

    magurakurin

    nothing to do with nothing, but I just saw DougJ in the wild over at the Great Orange Satan. He’s not feelin the Bern.

  46. 46.

    NotMax

    @Schlemazel

    Think of it as muscle in repose.

    I’ve been thin and I’ve been fat. Much, much prefer the latter. Feel a quantum leap better all around with the added weight on. And happier, too.

    But not jollier. Homey don’t do jolly.

  47. 47.

    lamh36

    Watching old SVU episodes, I mean did Detective Stabler’s (Chris Meloni) shirts get tighter and tighter EVERY season…lol

  50. 50.

    magurakurin

    @Just Some Fuckhead:

    That really is a stupid comparison. She was 16, he was 22. I don’t know about you but I went through a lot of changes in those six years between 16 and 22. What was clinton doing when she was 22? I wonder

    In 1965, Rodham enrolled at Wellesley College, where she majored in political science.[19] During her freshman year, she served as president of the Wellesley Young Republicans;[20][21] with this Rockefeller Republican-oriented group,[22] she supported the elections of Mayor John Lindsay and of Senator Edward Brooke.[23] She later stepped down from this position, as her views changed regarding the American Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War.[20] In a letter to her youth minister at this time, she described herself as “a mind conservative and a heart liberal”.[24] In contrast to the 1960s current that advocated radical actions against the political system, she sought to work for change within it, according to an article in The Boston Globe.[25] In her junior year, Rodham became a supporter of the antiwar presidential nomination campaign of Democrat Eugene McCarthy.[26] Following the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., Rodham organized a two-day student strike and worked with Wellesley’s black students to recruit more black students and faculty.[26]

  53. 53.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Adam L Silverman:
    @RSA:

    My brother is one of those people who can (and does!) tell the stupidest jokes in the world, but his delivery is so great that you can’t help cracking up. Over the years I’ve listened to him do the same routines probably 50-60 times, and I’m on the floor weeping with laughter every time.

  54. 54.

    MomSense

    @lamh36:

    No, kids don’t get to eat whatever they want. This has to do with the big at companies that want to get their school contracts back.

  55. 55.

    NotMax

    @lamh36

    Or Gabrielle’s jerkin on Xena, magically losing the next fastener down each season.

    Also too, Kirstin Chenoweth’s character’s waitress uniform in Pushing Daisies, the front zipper of which seemingly notched down a tooth or two each episode.

  56. 56.

    magurakurin

    @Baud: Yes, people get banned. I few have been recently. But they were out of control. I’ve been over there every day this cycle. I imagine though that once the nominee is chosen, there are more than a handful over there who are going to see the Kos Banhammer come down on them pretty hard. These days it’s the Bern all the way, but I actually detect a tiny yet noticeable shift. Sanders half-assed “plan” has changed some people’s thinking, I believe. But still wall to wall Clinton hate over there for the most part.

  57. 57.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    @magurakurin: Bernie Sanders didn’t support far right wing candidates when he was 16. Maybe we should support candidates who don’t have to do all the wrong things before eventually getting it right? I mean, I’m with you if she’s the choice against Republicans. Better support a Democrat who might eventually do the right thing. But that’s not our only choice here, is it?

  58. 58.

    magurakurin

    @David Koch: DougJ has always been Dengre. I mean, he was Dengre before he was DougJ. He ran away to here. Soonergrunt, too. When those two wandered over here is about the time I started reading posts here. At least that is how I remember it. I could be wrong.

  60. 60.

    magurakurin

    @Just Some Fuckhead: Jesus, are you fucking for real? Maybe Sanders is the child of an immaculate birth, too? Maybe he had no original sin, hence no need of baptism as well. Whatever, chief.

  62. 62.

    magurakurin

    @Baud: This is indeed true. The front page is a whole nother animal. Quite reasonable actually, and yes, no real bias. You have to wander down into the fever swamps of the Rec List to really see the madness. Yeah, I know, I need a life…got an extra one?

  64. 64.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    @magurakurin: He’s been amazingly consistent. He certainly didn’t help form the DLC and ride that monstrosity to prominence. Maybe he once forgot to wash his hands after taking a piss. Would that make him a better candidate in your eyes?

  66. 66.

    David *Rafael* Koch

    @magurakurin: I didn’t know that. I like Dengre. I haven’t been there in a while. I used to go over to see what my friend Trix was posting but it turned into a sewer of stupidity the last six months so I stopped all together. It’s like a left version of Fixxed News.

  67. 67.

    Adam L Silverman

    @lamh36: This is similar to Donald Trump’s remarks today that he will protect Christianity (in the US). I’m not sure what it needs protecting from, other than itself as its always done a good job of consuming itself when it feels like. And since 70% of Americans are Christians of one type or another, they’ve certainly got the numerical advantage…

  68. 68.

    magurakurin

    @Just Some Fuckhead: see, I told you I might be wrong. I always thought it was though, and I still kind of think it is. His profile over there says

    For years I’ve researched scandals and know that we never run one to ground. I post at Balloon Juice or comment as the mood strikes.

    Like I said, that’s how I remembered it, but it was long time ago. I’m sure about soonergrunt, though. I always really liked his posts at KOS.

  70. 70.

    lamh36

    @NotMax: on SVU he was even shown with his shirt sleeves pushed up to showcase his forearms…

    I mean…folks love Stabler, so they were just giving the people what they wanted…but since I downgraded to local basic cable I’ve only got like 10+ channels…and no upper channels.

    So I’m watching alot of syndicated networks and SVU is ALWAYS on.

  71. 71.

    NotMax

    @magurakurin

    Never have “gotten” DougJ, whose raison d’etre seems to be to intentionally rile things up for the sake of fomenting chaos by promoting the indefensible, an act which gets old real quick.

    Maybe it’s a generational thing.

  72. 72.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    @magurakurin: Dengre is Dennis Green and he used to post over here. Hell, everyone used to post here and not all of them were DougJ. In fact, only DougJ was.

  73. 73.

    Adam L Silverman

    @NotMax: There’s walking around weight and there’s cut down for competition weight. Since I don’t do competitions, I look to maintain a healthy weight. I made a promise to myself that while I might not be able to do anything about the genetic predispositions I inherited from my Dad, I could control my diet, exercise, and fitness. So I’m in the gym four days a week doing strength and core work on the TRX followed by high intensity cardio. And I combine that with martial arts. I would, though, like to get rid of this last 15 lbs or so…

  75. 75.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    @NotMax: I’m with you on that. I always looked at him as a bit of a tragic figure. Smart, capable, given a public forum with a modicum of cachet and he.. clowned.

  77. 77.

    magurakurin

    @Just Some Fuckhead:

    Would that make him a better candidate in your eyes?

    I would think, that from the way I speak about Sanders as a candidate, that it is obvious that pretty much nothing is gonna make him a better candidate in my eyes. The guys just isn’t all that. Your vote is your own, as is mine. We all do what we think is best.But, I personally am not going to put much weight into what either of them did when they were in high school.

  78. 78.

    Adam L Silverman

    @NotMax: It wasn’t just losing a button, it was that the whole jerkin got smaller season by season. Not that I’m complaining or anything.

  80. 80.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    @magurakurin: Yeah, you’re probably right but HRC has a very long history of doing the wrong thing first.

    ETA: One of the admirable traits for me about Obama is his ability to “get it right” the first time.

  85. 85.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Baud: Those were the numbers I saw the other day. The biggest increase has been in self identified agnostics and atheists. Jewish Americans, Muslim Americans, Hindu Americans, Buddhist Americans, Sikh Americans, and anyone I’m leaving out because I’m not going to keep making a list are all pretty constant at their numbers year over year.

  89. 89.

    lamh36

    @Adam L Silverman: @NotMax:

    Surprisingly enough, SVU never tried to “sexualize” Mariska Hargitay’s character Olivia Benson. IDK if it was planned or not or something the actress fought for, but she’s barely been “sexual” at all and has been shown in an out of a relationships, but NEVER focused on the relationships like with the Stabler character

  93. 93.

    Corner Stone

    @lamh36:

    but NEVER focused on the relationships like with the Stabler character

    Stabler was married with kids. And there was more than one arc where Benson put herself out there as an emotional outlet for her partner Stabler.

  94. 94.

    NotMax

    @lamh36

    Unfamiliar with the show or the actress but if it is the same Hargitay clan, then Jayne Mansfield overfilled the family quota for sexualization enough to cover generations.

    ;)

  103. 103.

    Adam L Silverman

    @lamh36: I think it had to do with the character’s back story as being the child of rape, which motivated her to not only be a cop, but to also work with victims of sexual assault. I do think the story arc where she is involved with the ADA played by Harry Connick, Jr. were some of the most fleshed out of her character.

  104. 104.

    ThresherK (GPad)

    @NotMax: It is the same clan. Mariska is Mansfield’s daughter.

    I remember when the character got to have a relationship with Harry Connick Jr’s character in some part of the DA’s office, and that had to end because of fraternization rules.

  109. 109.

    schrodinger's cat

    @Adam L Silverman: I am agnostic in my beliefs, went to a Catholic school and though my parents weren’t particularly religious they followed many Hindu traditions and celebrated Hindu festivals, especially those from western India.

    This fall I went to a south Indian Hindu temple near Boston and it felt as alien as any megachurch. I wonder what that makes me.

  110. 110.

    I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet

    @Baud: The 2014 GSS (12 page .pdf) says 74% (with 21% having “no religion” – an all-time high).

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  115. 115.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    @Gin & Tonic:

    That’s pretty funny, coming from you.

    I’ve never been given a public forum like that. And I never clowned. What little exposure I have, I’ve used it to teach. I’m always teaching.

  117. 117.

    Adam L Silverman

    @NotMax: Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I seem to detect a theme to my responses about the costuming on Xena Warrior Princess. I still think the best costume was Corey Everson’s as Atalanta.

  118. 118.

    Adam L Silverman

    @schrodinger’s cat: It makes you you. Everyone has their own relationship with the Deity or Deities or the Universe. As long as you’re comfortable with yours that’s all that matters.

  119. 119.

    lamh36

    @Corner Stone: they never really focud on HER relationships outside the Stabler dynamic….but yes they did do complete arcs on Stabler’s family…which is what I meant

  121. 121.

    lamh36

    @Adam L Silverman: Right…that was the rare occasion where they did do an entire arc on her relationship.

    Once Meloni left, they actually have focused entire arcs on Olivia outside of work…so even though I miss Stabler the character, I do like that they flesh our non-cop life for Olivia more

  122. 122.

    Corner Stone

    @lamh36: The episode where they cut Stabler’s wife out of the car wreck when she was on her way to deliver their baby. What did you think that was about?
    As I recall, Benson had a number of intimate (sexual) relationships that she was unable to continue, for a number of reasons I am sure.

  124. 124.

    The Golux

    @Adam L S@Adam L Silverman: ilverman:

    I’d love to get rid of this last 15 lbs that went on when I got back from Iraq…

    Here’s a thought: Try to come down with Type I Diabetes. Six months before I was diagnosed (at 54), I was a pudgy 185. After a year of scrutinizing what went on my plate (no second helpings, almost no desserts), I was at 145. Once I went on insulin, about half the weight came back, and it has held steady since.

  125. 125.

    Ruckus

    @Just Some Fuckhead:
    I didn’t support any conservative candidates when I was 16 either. I didn’t support the Vietnam war and still joined the military during it. I’ve also had a beard for over 40 yrs. And all of this gets a so fucking what. As @magurakurin: showed she didn’t support them not all that much later.
    You want to dislike her, fine. You want to hate her fine. You want to think she’s the wicked witch of the north, that’s your prerogative as well. But at least get your talking points straight and in order. Otherwise your name is one of the most appropriate on this blog.

  126. 126.

    Steeplejack (phone)

    @lamh36:

    Hell, he quit wearing them. Lots of shots of him getting dressed for work in the morning. Kept hoping for similar from Benson, but no luck.

  127. 127.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    @efgoldman: But that was the crux of your argument, that NO ONE can make good decisions at 16. And that is not true. Bernie didn’t campaign for Nixon.

  129. 129.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    @Ruckus: Why do you think that tone is going to work with me? Are you stupid? Look in the thread below. I specifically said I’d vote for if she gets the nom. I don’t dislike her. I just think she’s not particularly good at decision making.

    Now, you can settle the fuck down or we can escalate.

  134. 134.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    @Ruckus: I want to like you. In my mind’s eye, I picture you as a gentle Grizzly Adams, frolicking with bears, pausing occasionally to suck the dew off a leaf, eyes fixated on an impossible dream seemingly a mile away.

    But in real life, Grizzly Adams was roving around the Moonlite Bunny Ranch, drunk and naked, trying to stick his dick in anything that moved.

    Don’t let me down.

  135. 135.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Just Some Fuckhead: But in real life, Grizzly Adams was roving around the Moonlite Bunny Ranch, drunk and naked, trying to stick his dick in anything that moved.

    and his beard was on fire

  137. 137.

    lamh36

    @Steeplejack (phone): lol..right there was an entire episode where Stabler wanted to see what it was like to be a prisoner in solitary confinement…so he spent at least 1/2 the episode in a undershirt doing sit up and push ups…lol

    I mean…it’s like Jason Statham in the Transporter movie…did they REALLY need an entire fight scene with Statham in an undershirt in oil…really

  138. 138.

    eemom

    @Just Some Fuckhead:

    Wow, what a powerful little bully in the BJ schoolyard you are.

    Exactly what the fuck do Bernie’s and Hillary’s 1960s history have to do with the life and death issues at stake in this election?

  141. 141.

    Momus

    @lamh36: My woman friend would say “Yes!!!!!”. In her opinion, any movie with him in it where he doesn’t take off his shirt isn’t as good as the movies in which he does.

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