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1776 Commission, Martin Luther King, and Love of America

Posted on Monday, January 18, 2021
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by The Association of Mature American Citizens
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MLK Love America Martin Luther KingSometimes, a shaft of light penetrates overwhelming darkness.  Suddenly, we see more clearly. Bear with me, as Trump’s closing week overlaps Martin Luther King Day, something else is afoot – release of the “1776 Commission” report on American history.

On one hand, circumstances conspire (everything is conspiring these days!) to throw a dark pall over Trump’s legacy, a contested election, Capitol melee, cross allegations of incitement and blame, no happy ending for this President’s tumultuous tenure.

On the other, we are reminded of Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy – a civil rights leader opposed to violence, which cost his life.  Marching, speaking against racial inequality, King was steadfast in his belief that freedom and equality could co-exist in America.

That outcome was dependent on good will, pausing to understand each other, learning to appreciate and trust each other, advocating for each other, not against.  Succinctly, King said: “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”  His vision was an inclusive, free, unified, not stratified, America.

In practical terms, not today’s crass political calculus, King laid it all on the line.  He was American, convinced the best America moved beyond the past – into light.  With balance seldom seen today, he did not want enemies where he could forge allies.  He did not offend where he could mend.  Famously, he said, “we may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.” Truer words were never spoken; they apply equally to our time.

Nor did King think making America’s promise of freedom, equality, and unity was going to be an easy lift – for anyone.  Still, he had faith it was America’s unique destiny.  He reminded us, “faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

He knew backsteps and forward lay ahead – to be taken together, as one nation.  “We must accept finite disappointment, never lose infinite hope.”  In stark contrast to summer 2020 violence and January 2021 in DC, King was a believer that violence begets violence, love begets love.  Near the end, he said: “I have decided to stick with love; hate is too great a burden to bear.” As we are learning, it is.

Which brings me to that “1776 Commission” report, on which the Wall Street Journal opines with praise.  They offer a long view of its meaning: America’s history is objectively extraordinary, and we should accept that.  It should be faithfully taught that way.

The 1776 Commission was formed by executive order in 2019, to create an accurate historical baseline.  Unlike many commissions, which fail the mark, this one exceeded it. As the Wall Street Journal notes, this report is solid.

It “makes the case for the American creed and a less radical way to teach history.”  With grounded patriotism and realism, the report offers facts.  “Neither America nor any other nation has perfectly lived up to the universal truths of equality, liberty, justice and government by consent, but no nation before America ever dared state those truths as the formal basis for its politics, and none has strived harder, or done more, to achieve them.”  Well said.

As the report notes and Journal affirms, the Declaration of Independence said what no document before it dared – that “all men are created equal.”  That marked “a turning point in world history.” While humanity invariably falters, “the distinguishing part of the story that roused freedom lovers and terrified tyrants everywhere—and still does” was pairing human equality with liberty and a resolve to honor both.

The report is not “archeology or dissimulation, but …a live claim that demands adjudication.”  It is a trumpet call to those teaching American history, to sit up and listen, rethink their anti-American slant, begin “striving to understand America’s historical actors as they understood themselves.”  Plummeting interest in American history, may then perhaps recover.

This is what great scholars, not shills for a political view, have always done – from older historians like William & Mary’s Douglas Adair in the 1940s and 50s, to Pulitzer-winning Rick Atkinson in our time. “Patriotic education,” as the paper notes, is not a bad word, but noble.

“Instilling understanding, rather than hatred, of one’s country is a core purpose of education,” and the report observes “thoughtful citizens embrace their national community not only because it is their own, but … because they see what it can be at its best.”

The report is an endorsement for teaching America’s greatness on the merits.  As the paper notes, the appendix explains “how identity politics divides Americans into victims and oppressors and measures moral claims accordingly, clashing with the principle of equality” – and liberty.

Significantly, the Journal concludes, “the report is correct in understanding our freedom and prosperity as ‘direct results of America’s unity, stability, and justice, all of which in turn rest on the bedrock of our founding principles,’ noting “liberals once believed it too” because “it also happens to be true.”

To this, one might add – among those liberals, was Martin Luther King, Jr.  The Journal highlights a possible inflection point in how history is taught, noting King strived to “make America better by insisting it be truer to its own founding principles,” but he believed.

As our divided nation spins into another inauguration – bent on recrimination – it is worth noting that this Commission Report, the life of Martin Luther King, and latest Wall Street Journal editorial – all vector toward love of America.  Can you imagine?  Shaft of light in the darkness.

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Stephen Russell
Stephen Russell
3 years ago

Democrats & Leftists want to destroy 1776 Comm etc day 1
We again lose
& Blame Big Tech too
Big Tech is For Profits, take away profits Lose Big tech
Big Tech to Censor US all

Richard Arveaux
Richard Arveaux
3 years ago

This is why there is an American Flag flying on my porch and on my life. Not only has America been a great country for itself and it’s people. America has lifted the world, in more ways than are countable. When any nation is in trouble or needs help in survival. Who gets called upon first? America! When any nation is in trouble or needs help in survival, who gets up and does the right thing? America. What the hell is not to be proud of?

D James
D James
3 years ago

Another “Pie in the Sky ” article…. Get real, America is losing Democracy. That is the real issue.

‘Nonymous
‘Nonymous
3 years ago

The United States was more unified in 2008 than ever before in its history, and was moving closer to total unification at unprecedented rates, then, Obama appeared and started driving wedge after wedge into the progress made. He was highly successful at setting back racial unity by nearly one hundred years. Now the crats have elected (if Obama was the anti-Christ) the anti brain and Beelzebub. We are doomed!

Rik
Rik
3 years ago

Communism NOW OWNS the so-called Democratic Party of today! … I used to regret not having any children or grandchildren, but not anymore!

David Gonnella
David Gonnella
3 years ago

Why is it that conservatives and Republicans think they will curry favor with black voters by promoting Martin Luther King, Jr.? Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law and it gained him nothing.

As a minister, Martin Luther King denied almost every cardinal doctrine of the New Testament. As a husband he was a serial adulterer. As a scholar, he plagiarized his doctoral dissertation, which should have resulted in his doctorate being revoked. He was chummy with communists his entire career, and most of his “civil rights” legislation trampled on the property rights and freedom of association of individuals.

If conservatives want to honor a black man they should choose someone like Booker T. Washington, Thomas Sowell, or Clarence Thomas. If they want to win over black votes they should promote the principles of conservatism that benefit all people,including blacks.

Jane Pearson
Jane Pearson
3 years ago

I can’t believe the comments below – they totally miss the point of this beautiful article. MLK was a liberal – probably would have been a Democrat – does it matter? We all want the same thing, Republicans and Democrats, a free and prosperous country but have different ideas on how to get there. That’s no reason for this hate. You are so sad!

THE REBEL
THE REBEL
3 years ago

A true antagonizing racist skirt-chaser—————–right up there with Billie-Wild-Willie and JFK !!

Sally Duncan
Sally Duncan
3 years ago

I pray our countru comes back to that!

rick51802@gmail.com
3 years ago

I read somewhere that if America falls, it will be from within. That seems to be the case, now.
Our elected officials take party over country. Their oath of office is just words to them with no meaning.. We had a president go on “The Great Apology Tour” to apologize to the world for America’s past.
Your article was well written and inspirational, but in today’s world, doesn’t seem to apply and that’s tragic.

Susan
Susan
3 years ago

Great article. Unfortunately most Americans, yes Trump won huge so we supporters are the majority but we are under siege by the crazy left. It is coloring our view of the article presented.
Not only is our congress, both the Rinos and Dems, the tech giants and media are now taking out free speech, religion. They are controlling the narrative.

John Karkalis
John Karkalis
3 years ago

Thanks for a much needed “shaft of light in the darkness “.
We are resilient, we are exceptional. We should never forget this, nor need we apologize for it .
Ronald Reagan saw America as that “shining city on a hill”
We remain so despite our differences. Dr King saw this.
We are currently undergoing a stress test, testing our values, testing our strengths as a United nation.
I have no doubt that we will pass the test.
Thanks for the essay.

Felix
Felix
3 years ago

All this is true, but we are losing the the battle because we focus on the Democratic politicians more than the entities that support and enable them. Main stream and social media who want to take away the freedom of speech, press, religion and the right to bear arms making conservatives defenseless. They are increasingly upping the lies about Trump while not giving us a platform to respond, CNN is now calling for cable providers to remove NewsMax for reporting “false news”. Eighty million Trump conservatives need to be making our voices heard by letting your cable providers know how we feel. Also permanently deleting Facebook and Twitter, not just not using their service, actually deleting their service. Go on line and duckduckgo “How do I permanently delete……..? They don’t make it easy. Also communicate to any business that cancels conservative views, that you will no longer do business with them We need to chip away the power they are using against us.

Walter
Walter
3 years ago

How can we appreciate and trust each other when JB has sold America out with our enemies like China. Who in fake news and big tech decides who is getting censored?-this is Socialism/Communism at its best. Fake voting on and on all supported by corrupt Democrats and some Republican politicians. Wasn’t it the statue of MLK the Left said was missing when President Trump was first elected? The Left & Fake news was all over this. And then there is Sleepy Joe who is going to bring our country together are you kidding. He did nothing in 47 years except rip off the American people. If you don’t believe me name 3 things he did for America in all this time. He and his family have sold out America. $1.5B to HB from our enemy for what! 75 Million of us are not wrong. Someone needs to clarify this about the military. As an old Vet, I remember taking an oath to defend the Constitution from our enemies BOTH FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC. The Democrats are domestic terrorists and have violated are right to vote along with censorship on and on. So the Left is going to block Trump supporters from attending the swearing in of JB. They will be protected by who-are Great Military-Why? And the whole thing will be filmed by the fake news to make Don Lemonhead and the rest of the corrupt reporters something to talk about. Are we this stupid? I just wonder when they are going to shut down the NRA and raise all are taxes.

David B.
David B.
3 years ago

Seems like most people don’t understand the severity of the coming storm. We are not being told of all the dire consequences about to be inflicted upon us by the evil cabal of Leftists intent on completely upending our present realities. Let’s also hope that the countries that hate us don’t take advantage of our chaos. I Hope everyone’s prepared for the worst while praying for the best.

aluminum head
aluminum head
3 years ago

Time to find another country. This nation is about to be re-named “Amerigo.”

John A. Fallon
John A. Fallon
3 years ago

Why have I been blocked from making comments? I have a right to free speech and I unlike the socialist/dems, make honest and sensible comments, I earned my rights with military service and I WILL NOT GIVE THEM UP WITHOUT A FIGHT!!!

John A. Fallon
John A. Fallon
3 years ago

Chinajoe wants to put our energy resources out of business and give a HUGE CONTRACT TO OUR ENEMIES, giving china even more control of our country, there are no more “political parties”, the ballots for the next election are already being printed in china, WELCOME TO THE MATRIX, THE MACHINES RULE!

Linda K
Linda K
3 years ago

Trust each other? Really? Not when the likes of CNN is insisting that Newsmax be removed because they dare to say the election was stolen. For four years we had to listen to that from the left. Now that it’s true, the election WAS stolen, saying so makes one an “election denier”. Are you believing this? Not only do the corrupt cheat and steal an election, but they dare anyone to say it was. Enough is enough.

John A. Fallon
John A. Fallon
3 years ago

Chinajoe wants to open our borders and give millions of ILLEGAL imigrants the right to vote, why would people who are “supposedly” fleeing socialist oppression, help the socialist/dems create THE SAME TYPE OF “GOVERNMENT” HERE? if they help destroy freedom in AMERICA, WHERE WILL THEY ESCAPE TOO?? There won’t be any place SAFE to go !

Phyl
Phyl
3 years ago

Puppet Joe will do whatever he’s told by whoever is pulling the strings.

John A. Fallon
John A. Fallon
3 years ago

This is how evil people like hitler gain power, they start by supporting rinos and help them get elected, then they control acedemia to brainwash our children with lies about AMERICA, Then they get thier mindless drones into the news media and social(ist) media to control what people have access to, then they fill the political and military systems with more of thier mindless drones, they then have control and “WE THE PEOPLE ” are blindsided with illegal ballots that put ALL THIER PUPPETS IN CHARGE OF EVERYTHING!!!!!

Slideglide
Slideglide
3 years ago

It’s a disgrace for the Democrats to use the memory of MLK as a cudgel against any political opposition.

The claims of racism is the standard “wedge” the Left uses to divide and “taint” the Right.

BLM, Social Justice, Police shootings, Voter suppression, and White Nationalism, are all designed to force the Right to prove these false “negatives”.

President Trump has done more to dispel the Democrat’s vile narrative, than any other President, especially the “deceiver”, obama.

PaulE
PaulE
3 years ago

If MLK were alive today, the left would be vilifying him non-stop. That is an important distinction that everyone needs to be reminded of. MLK’s message is currently diametrically opposite of the race-baiting, hate-filled, permanent victimhood status message that is being constantly preached today by the Democrat Party and their affiliated attack and propaganda organizations like BLM and the MSM.

As for the upcoming inauguration, the Democrats are transforming our Capitol into a recreation of the what is found in third-world and communist countries. The theatrics the Democrats are going through to portray to the world that the United States is the he!!-hole they envision in their sick little fantasies is amazing. The Capitol is completely shutdown and sealed off. Barbed wire and fencing is being strung everywhere. 25,000 armed National Guard members are now all being individually screened, because Democrat paranoia is working over-time. At this point, I wouldn’t put it past these loony-tunes to actually stage something during the inauguration. Just so they wouldn’t look like idiots to the rest of the world and then they could justify some ludicrous actions to take advantage of the “crisis”. I would strongly suggest NO ONE from our side be anywhere remotely near Washington, D.C. on the 20th. Just stay home everyone.

Michael Venaccio
Michael Venaccio
3 years ago

After reading multiple comments on multiple websites about what has and is transpiring, my head is spinning in that it seems all the institutions that Americans have believed for may years existed for the purpose of protecting them have failed at the same time. This includes the congress, the judiciary, the FBI, the SCOTUS, The DOJ at the federal level and the legislatures, the courts, governors and secretaries of state at the state level.

So, going forward, the system needs to be rebuilt by starting at the state level. Look who is contributing to local races such as district attorneys, city councils, judges, etc. If they are taking money from ultra liberal groups, such as this funded by George Soros, do not elect them.

If you are from one of the disputed sates, such as GA, PA, MI, AZ, NV, WI and possibly others, you need to keep pressure on your state legislatures to do away with mail-in balloting, throwing out the Dominion and Smartmatic voting machines, demand state investigations into election fraud and taking back the legislature’s constitutional rights in setting rule for elections and not let individual state officials or courts push unconstitutional changes.

The same applies to the election of state legislators, governors, AGs, etc. Get to know who supports the candidates and do not vote for them if supported by those same liberal groups and outright leftists. Do some independent research.

So, start at the local and state level. Urge your state legislators to approve the petition for a Convention of States if your state has not already done so. Point is there are some constitutional remedies left.

Maybe someone smarter than I can let us know if citizens can band together and sue congress and other governmental agencies as a class action if the policies get out of hand. Or maybe the state AGs can band together again and file suit for each unconstitutional issue that is passed by what a very, very large number of voters believe will be an illegal/illegitimate/unconstitutional government.

Point is use the laws against the left, the way it was used against conservatives.

Maybe a start, but within the constitutional framework.

Pat Jandacek
Pat Jandacek
3 years ago

I SO appreciate these expressions! Thank you, AMAC. Now, if only those who ‘hate’ would read it we’d all be better for it.

Michael Tomaino
Michael Tomaino
3 years ago

Dr. King was an American hero. His teachings and legacy has has enriched the lives by both Black and White Americans for generations. Such a shame that his legacy is being perverted by current American. Just tragic. The hatred among current America is so very sad. God Bless you Dr. King..

Josephine pooley
Josephine pooley
3 years ago

Great word!

Chuck
Chuck
3 years ago

BIDEN IS STILL NOT MY PRESIDENT! Bring back justice for all. Then talk reconciliation.

Sam Foster
Sam Foster
3 years ago

Any man who wins an election by a criminal coup will never be honored, respected or believed. He will never be any more than a criminal dictator. I believe the “unrest” in this country is no longer black or white. I sincerely believe it is now Democrats against Republicans or evil against good. I live in a black neighborhood and we have absolutely no unrest, hard feelings or any other problems. However, I had democrat friends who ridiculed me and put me down because I am a die hard supporter for Donald Trump and all he did for my country during his four years, in spite of being under constant attack by the democrats. I cannot name one democrat that I have an nth of respect for anymore. If they can support a corrupt criminal like Biden and his bimbo VP, then they support criminal behavior.

Doug Drennan
Doug Drennan
3 years ago

The democrats usurped King’s message after he was assassinated for their own interests and are using race as a weapon to further divide America because no one willingly supports higher taxes and less jobs except the elites that are forcing their agenda up the backside of the American people.

johnh
johnh
3 years ago

The MLK quote says it all “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools”. Just sit back & ponder these words & no matter your age what do freedoms in America mean to you and do you want to keep them? I say “Let us live together as Brothers”

Sharon Harrigan
Sharon Harrigan
3 years ago

Thank you, Mr. Charles. I love and pray faithfully for a great awakening and revival to sweep our country, that she will return to the Biblical principles upon which she was founded. I have so many memories of America as I knew her growing up.
Psalm 33:12 “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.”

JJ Johnson-Smith
JJ Johnson-Smith
3 years ago

This report MUST become the new textbook for accurate and truthful, American History Education going forward. We are seeing the results of decades of the erasure of truth, lack of Civic Education, and Liberal Indoctrination in the public schools. It has created ignorance and a society of the Uninformed and Misinformed, the Irresponsible and Unconstitutional, all by design of course.

par404
par404
3 years ago

Super artcle

Myrna S Wade
Myrna S Wade
3 years ago

The message and tone of this editorial are great. How this country could be taken over by people who do not think any of this is terrible. I wish I could see any of the light promised herein. We have the old Trojan horse story instead.

Dietta
Dietta
3 years ago

I am somewhat encouraged to find out that there was such a report done. I am not so foolish as to think that those indoctrinated by the liberal public education system will embrace this as a template for teaching American history. We elders must help those who we are leaving behind to find the gentle truthful answer to the question “How then should we live?”. That is, do as we say we believe, not as we have done or allowed. Pray like is is all up to God, but do your best to live in grace and love and be examples.

John A. Fallon
John A. Fallon
3 years ago

We need to destroy BIG TECH, they control all news and discussions, they remove everything that does not support thier SICK WORLD VIEW, I have prayers that pop-up several times a day, now all I get is ???? on my screen, social(ist) media and msm are keeping us from seeing TRUTH and violating our constitutional rights, we need to file a CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT in the name of the AMERICAN PEOPLE and bankrupt them all and at the same time compensate us all for the misery caused by this phony pandemic, used as an excuse to get the ILLEGAL VOTING THEY NEEDED because they cannot win honestly, do you really think dirtbags like schiff, cuomo, deblazio, schumer, nadler can keep getting re-elected on thier merits as a representative of the voters? They have no merits!!

John A. Fallon
John A. Fallon
3 years ago

We need to open our eyes and minds and see the reality of what is happening, there is NO NEXT ELECTION, if we allow this voter fraud to succeed, the SOCIALISTS WILL NEVER LOSE ANOTHER ELECTION, your votes are already being printed and “cast” in china for the next “election”, WELCOME TO THE MATRIX, THE MACHINES RULE!!

Phyllis Poole
Phyllis Poole
3 years ago

Little did he know what laid ahead for our great nation he loved. A half black man to bring down its heritage as president. An awful president for the black heritage as one who hated America as his mother taught him. Then a Marxist take over by those who also hate America which is trying at this moment to take over
They will not succeed. Too many of we Americans are God loving fearing humans. And God will prevail!!!!

Danny Estridge
Danny Estridge
3 years ago

Too bad we’re so stupid now, hope this might help, but it’ll be buried because it’s not on any person’s list to stay true to America, not to Karl Marx’s Manifesto. Which means we’re still screwed. History is written by the winners, not by the truth. And I did 20 years of my life thinking I was trying to help, heck, who knows, if I didn’t do 20 in the military, I could have done a lot better for myself. 20 years for these idiots ruin what we had. Oh well, at least the drugs were good most of the time. What a waste, both for me and for America.

Hal
Hal
3 years ago

Honest elections are one leg of a 3-legged stool. If it breaks the stool will crash to the floor if you don’t fix it. Time for all good Americans to insist that it be fixed pronto.

A row of supercomputers running simulations of quantum cryptography algorithms to test their efficiency and effectiveness
President Joe Biden, son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden walk across the South Lawn of The White House on July 28, 2024 in Washington, DC. President Biden is returning from a weekend trip to Camp David. (Photo by Michael A. McCoy/Getty Images)
President-elect Donald Trump shakes hands with Dana White during the UFC 309 event at Madison Square Garden on November 16, 2024 in New York City.

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