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King quotation botched
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by YankeeJim | January 14, 2012 at 12:38 pm
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Etching in granite cost a lot of money. There was an approval process – a copy approval process. People signed off.
Compare his actual words to the abbreviated version. Which belong on a statue? The shorter version fits. The longer version belongs in a speech, maybe, a long winded speech.
“A spokesman for the U.S. Department of the Interior said Friday that Secretary Ken Salazar decided to have the quote changed. The Washington Post first reported on Friday the decision to change the inscription.
The phrase is modified from a sermon known as the "Drum Major Instinct," in which the 39-year-old King explained to his Atlanta congregation how he would like to be remembered at his funeral. He made the February 1968 speech just two months before he was assassinated in Memphis, Tenn.
In the speech, King's words seem more modest than the paraphrased inscription: "Yes, 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."
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/...mplaints/#ixzz1jT5Rq0A0”
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (6)
at 15:27 on January 14th, 2012
The process that created Dr. King's monument failed its mark by creating an erroneous characterization of his actual words, which, in turn, leaves any who read the altered words with a misconception of Dr. King's thoughts offered in the dubbed 'Drum Major Instinct' speech.
He did not say, as the inscription reads, "I was a drum major for peace, justice and righteousness." The paraphrasing misguides visitors, implying an incorrect assessment and assumption of Dr. King's own self image.
at 16:02 on January 14th, 2012
I agree that the shortened misquotation was incorrect. In my mind, I can think of many more things that he said that may be more memorable.
It is unfortunate that whoever was in charge let this slip all the way into stone.
http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Martin_Luther_King_Jr.
at 09:17 on January 15th, 2012
I agree, Jim.
at 16:16 on January 14th, 2012
The inscription reads:
"I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness." The phrase is chiseled into one side of a massive block of granite that includes King's likeness emerging from the stone. It became a point of controversy after the memorial opened in August.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/01/14/quote-on-mlk-memorial-to-be-changed-after-complaints/#ixzz1jTylFdER
at 18:01 on January 14th, 2012
This screw up was delivered by the sector that Ms. Hatter and her progressive political ilk wish we had more of ... controlling things and ruling our lives. One would think that an institution that adds an additional 30% to our total debt in only three-plus years and places over 1,000 additional regulations on top of the way we have to accomplish things with approval, could do something as simple as a correctly developed and post inscription.
at 14:26 on January 15th, 2012
Really, Edmund? "Ms. Hatter and her progressive political ilk ...." It would seem that you and your TEA Party ilk have no problem with spending money to force government into people's lives to promote your short sighted, Right Wing, cumbersome to enforce, political agenda items.