This Generation?s MLK?

[U2Soar]

Bono: This Generation?s MLK?

For over 2 decades Bono has centered his life on faith and social justice. In the last 4 years he has dedicated himself to social justice for Africa ? it?s economic slavery / the AIDS emergency / etc. Has not the exemplary nature of his words and actions and his tremendous hard work led to the point where he is the acknowledged ?Leader? of this movement? Therefore ? is not appropriate that Bono receive the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Salute to Greatness Award on January 17 in Atlanta? (Announcement made this week) It has been reported that Bono has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for the last for few years (and even made it to the short list each time). I believe it would be not only fitting but very special that he receive the Nobel Peace Prize next year for it will be the 40th anniversary of MLK receiving it. In the future will our children be given a presentation and an essay assignment in school (and in their Church Study Group) ? ?Compare the work of MLK and Bono??

?U2 front man Bono will be recognized for his humanitarian work at an awards dinner hosted by the family of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. The Irish rock band's lead singer will be honored at the 2004 King Center Salute to Greatness awards dinner on Jan. 17 in Atlanta.?

?In a written statement, Coretta Scott King, the founder of the Center, said, ?We are fortunate this year to honor Bono for exemplifying many of the qualities that my husband, Martin, indicated were imperative to moving our society into the beloved community of which he so often spoke. Bono has campaigned tirelessly for Third World debt relief and for a global response to the AIDS emergency in Africa. He has focused mass public attention on the world?s poorest continent and lobbied politicians around the globe to take action. Through his music and humanitarian efforts, he has proven himself to be a socially progressive songwriter, entertainer and activist.?? (Access North Georgia & U2log.com)

I found it interesting that this announcement came the day after I read this apt quote:

?here's some U2 content for the World AIDS Day Link and Think: one of my favorite Bono quotes on AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa.
?I think deep down, if we really believed in equality, we would go to the side of our brothers and sisters in Africa. What I would say is we don't really believe in equality. ...You think of these Jewish sheep-herders walking in, in front of Pharaoh, you know, without their shoes, and the pharaoh is going, "You think you're equal to me?" And they look in the Book, and they go, "Yeah... That's what it says here." And it's like "you're mad, you're out of your mind." --Well, it's true. And we accept that now between our own borders. We accept that women and Jews and blacks and Irish are equal and have equal opportunities, but we don't really believe that for the rest of the world -- because if we did, we would not be letting two-and-a-half million Africans die next year. ??
(http://u2sermons.blogspot.com)

Now MLK was known for many admirable things and among them was his eloquent / charismatic / dynamic public speaking ability. In comparison - Bono may not have this particular gift yet he has given a number of excellent speeches (Harvard Address 2001 / Africare?s Annual Bishop Walker Awards Dinner Address 2002 (is there video footage of it?) / Liberal Party Convention Address 2003). And we all know Bono?s primary gift is being a music artist. Haven?t there been a number of powerful and moving musical performances for Africa (One ? NetAid / One ? Millennium New Year?s Eve / One ? Notre Dame / the 46664 Concert)? [Idea: wouldn?t it great if there existed a DVD-R which intersperses these speeches and musical performances in order to spread this message and campaign to our family / friends / schools / churches / etc.?!)

In 1984 a young man with a band still on the outer edge of the music world visits an exhibit on MLK. Inspired by it he writes the songs ? Pride and MLK. Fast forward 20 years to 2004 and this man is now a 44 yr. old and the recipient of Nobel Peace Prize (the 40th anniversary of MLK?s same prestigious award).

Imagine this week next year with Bono making a similar speech but this time about the African Human Rights Movement! ?in the name of love / what more in the name of love?

Martin Luther King - Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech - December 10, 1964 - Oslo, Norway - http://www.nobelprizes.com/nobel/peace/MLK-nobel.html

 

[BVS]

Yes they both stood for the same things. They both were passionate, charismatic and could give one hell of a speech.

But the big difference and the reason he's not this generations MLK is that MLK was part of an oppressed group, Bono is a privileged person fighting for the oppressed.

 

[dazzledbylight]

Re: MLK & Bono

hhhhmmmmm

Well, you could say that one of Bono's impulses to do goodworks probably comes from his religious/spiritual background, and that was forming way before he/they got famous, let alone SuperFamous . He & Ali going to Ethiopia was certainly before they attained SuperStatus.

Don't remeber was he from working or middle class background?

I can understand why you make the comparison.... but part of my later spiritual evolution hopes you /others might not make it so........directly -is the not quite accurate word........

It may be outlandish to some of you. Of course you all know the "as ye sow , so shall ye reap" quote. You can think of it as a kind of karmic reaction within a life time. It certainly comes out of the more mystical side of Christianity.

But there's another aspect dealing with concentrating on ideas, etc that the more you do- the more chance there is of stuff manifesting. It's an ancient mystical belief and one that certain perhaps considered 'heretical' theoretical &/quantum physists are actually begining to believe on more than just the microscopic level.

i'm putting this in and then finishing it in the next reply... i tend to get bounced out sometimes for word/character counts or slow typing. I've tried posting this several times w/o sucess

 

[dazzledbylight]

later for 2nd half

ach....the net place was closing so i couldn';t finnish this last nite,. YTonite they cut the closing by a half hout and I just posted in non-music/u2 board about ROTK, so I'll htry do finish up tomorrow. I'd even forgot I got the first half in! Iwas so geared up for seeing ROTK today.

 

[dazzledbylight]

2nd half hopefully finish via edit

well, I just got bleeping bounced out from the 5th time (i'm on Mcsft, not AOL). I swear I either exceed some charecter count, or type so slowly that i get timed out for that- past a certain point .
I'm trying again and breaking up the message earlier on for continuing it via editing.
[i hope ]

i'm continuing in poetic form to express my feelings & concerns.
So as not to take up too much space-I am typing across and breaking up the lines via slashes/

(title) THOSE Memories Stirred Up, Once Again

I was Young/not such a child anymore/ still, all was yet far from at stake/ as when as an adult/ I'd yet to be/ I was Yoiung and Awake/ inSpring-Summer 1968/ Aware enough to know THIS/ in such a short time/ from April through June/ I was torn away/ plunged, screaming/ into another country called America/ oh, yes some of the other remained/ some rewoven/ but much to Fade/ we try to Hear the Song

sending this part 2 b con't

[so far so good]

I imagine a Miraculous way/ We Hear IT seeping through/
like staticy radio- Life/ from another Universe/ Parallel Eaths/ Some Quantum Physisists/ say exist/ the sounds ofthe Paths/ denied to us/ Can you hear it,my friends?/ We who Witnessed/ We who Remember/ We who sometimes Sing/ Songs of Lamentation/ for a Sorrow not quite/ quenched totally/ when Touched/ even, inadvertantly/We through Living Memory/ We through Prayer & Meditation/ We through Thought and Action/Strive to Relight the Way back/ Taking what we knew and know,,foward/ Up and into the America of today/ Tend it with Deep Nourishment/ Till it's deep,rich Nectar/ Flourishes and is poured out again/ We Build what was taken away

hhmmmm not to take a further chance I'll send this on,see if I can edit it one more time for the Epilog/addendum or do it as a reply

 

[dazzledbylight]

still bounced out must do edit , i guess -feh

if any one takes the time to go through this whole thing, I really thank you for your attention & patience!

An Epilouge Specially Addressed

I ask("plead" cries my heart)/ you to consider this/ oh, go spend Praise on the man/ he deserves it/ but please don't send such a Comparision/ such a direct Naming,/ Bestowed upon him/ should this spread further than these circles/ who knows who's engeries/
might be sparked/ and in the Wrong direction!/ For among some/caring about'certain' peoples/ Incites Rage, instead ofAdmiration/ that rage into action can/ has done ever widening/ Cirles & cycles of Damage/ Spreading out in Wavesof/ Physical Manefestation/ and Phychological Hurt & Twisting/ That you Younger ones might know of/ Yet perhaps, not fully/ for it is Around you/ Like the Air you Breath in, unthinkingly/ like fish that swim in their Waterworld/ how many know of the/ Air World above them/is it faintly told in Legends/ by those thrown back?/ it is completely Unkown/

wiilfinish on edit

we who know/ cry out No More, No Mas!/ for we saw too much pain/ we pray to spare ourselves and You/ for even now when certain reports reach us everwhen they do/ some of us are spiked to Fear/ for a while- it can torment us/ till we can cast it out/ and let that concern go back into our mind's backwashes/ NAd yet/ we Still Rejoice/ for the Caring Hearts out there/ Old & Young/ and those just emerging into Being, here/ We Welcome you!/ We send Joy to you all, dear hearts!!/ Blessed be!!!

 

[dazzledbylight]

on someting I had NOIDEA actaully happened untilthis pastweekend

i hate this freeking bouncing out i've wassted more time
....so much for the fun i was supposed to have on this site tonight.
yet i had to get this outta my system before the new year started.

alright, go.

Yes, I heard back when about the threats. but in the most general way. and I had my freak-out then [which if you read the poem willl understand why some of us get like this ]
more easily than others. We've Been There.

It wasn't till THE mON BEFORE cHRISTMAS past I happen upon a portion of the actual interview he gave about the L.A. Shows and how things were there. WHat he did and how he felt as he sang.... esp Pride.

I was in a public net place, if i'D owned a computer w net acess and read this at home...i would have either started screaming/yelling or crying or both! But i didn''t and wad was miserably haunted off & on about it for about day and a half. This extreme form went away as I expected it to. Nothing did happen after all***thank the Powers***. but it will probably pop up on me under the 'right' circumstances.

there finallygotit out and away

thany youtoanyone slogging thru this all. It has notbeen a pleasent experience forme either. but some things just aren't.

 

[Katey]

Bono's passion , charisma and genuine intentions have made him for me one of the greatest humanitarians . He is indeed when you look past the glasses and take a glimpse into the heart of the man a very humble person . His greatest strength is in his conviction and in his true belief in the human spirit .. and he is the finest example of the power of the human spirit .
I think he is very respectful of what he has and who he is .. he does not take that lightly and he uses that responsibilty of having a great life to shed light on the issues .. He is fully living up to his potential and how many people can say that . I respect him more then I can say

 

[verte76]

Bono's passion , charisma and genuine intentions have made him for me one of the greatest humanitarians . He is indeed when you look past the glasses and take a glimpse into the heart of the man a very humble person . His greatest strength is in his conviction and in his true belief in the human spirit .. and he is the finest example of the power of the human spirit .
I think he is very respectful of what he has and who he is .. he does not take that lightly and he uses that responsibilty of having a great life to shed light on the issues .. He is fully living up to his potential and how many people can say that . I respect him more then I can say

My sentiments exactly.

 

[melon]

Yes they both stood for the same things. They both were passionate, charismatic and could give one hell of a speech.

But the big difference and the reason he's not this generations MLK is that MLK was part of an oppressed group, Bono is a privileged person fighting for the oppressed.

I agree with this. Chances are, the MLK's of today are fighting for gay rights, generating as much applaud, disdain, and general controversy today as MLK did in the 1960s.

Melon