With yesterday being the 40th Anniversary of Martin Luther King's assassination, I watched several interviews of those who knew him and those who have been influenced by him. Dr. Michael Eric Dyson was on Tavis Smiley's program last night. The video is here, the transcript is here. Dyson's latest book is entitled April 4, 1968 and he dares to discuss the full scope of Dr. King's public and private sentiments. There was so much more to King than the "I Have a Dream" speech, but unfortunately, it's the only thing most of us as white Americans remember and admire of him. We need to dig deeper into these issues and quit depending on 30 second soundbites to inform us.

I added some remarks to my post of Apr. 3 of points I wish Obama would make whenever the subject of his pastor is raised. Maybe I should send them to his speechwriters? According to the polls I've seen, the issue has helped him, especially in his money-raising ability. I need to desensitize my own feelings about that particular topic, but not before I blow off about one of my pet peeves:

I got an email this morning asking for prayer for Oprah and her church, which happens to be the same as Obama's, because she took exception to something in the Bible. Shallow-minded fanatics will continue to obsess about TUCC until election day has come and gone and after Obama has been inaugurated next January. How my name got added to the list of people who might care about some triviality like that is beyond my comprehension. For the record - I am not a Biblical literalist.

What can I say? Some of my friends are moved by things that leave me cold. And the beat goes on...

I do appreciate my friend LaRue giving me the correct information on how crossover voting in Mississippi really works. I was afraid Dan Abrams was misinformed when he said what he said, but it helped the way I was feeling at the moment, so I applauded his remarks. I don't get everything perfectly straight myself sometimes, in case my dear readers haven't already figured that out.