FriarReb98: Of course he didn't say it. Because really, at the end of the day, do you really want to be the overbearing, ego-maniacal drum major that everyone in the band thinks is a tool, or the cool snare player who gets the color guard chick?

I think most people want hot, passionate sax.

Angelou was named among the memorial's Council of Historians tasked with selecting the inscriptions for the memorial. But she did not attend meetings about the inscriptions, Jackson said.

Stay classy.

Okay, I realize there's no "Drum Major" tag, but why "Silly"? How about "Hero"?


/don't even think of taking any of that out of context.

I think they misquoted him on purpose to avoid having to pay the family their "copy right fees." Sort of the same way that they sing "Happy Birthday to You" wrong on tv shows.

The FBI has a nice list of real MLK quotes to choose from, if they're looking for a new one. Like, "I'm farking for Jesus tonight!"

I'm pretty sure he would say this ...

The Boondocks - MLK speach (new window NSFW)

Happy Hours: Silly tag because historical accuracy is silly?

No, it's because black people are silly.

(new window)

Does this mean the pictures I took are collectible now?

"I made the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs."

Black people problems.

And it's too white (new window)

This whole monument is a disaster. They spent $120 million on the thing, and ended up with a WHITE marble sculpture of one of America's greatest black leaders. It was chiseled in China, and I think bears more than a passing resemblance to those statues of communist dictators. They couldn't even get the inscription right. What the hell is wrong with these people?

I know about Ms. Angelou's glorious artistic career--including a stint in the international "Porgy and Bess" tour of the early 1950s--but mention of her name these days will forever conjure up the SNL "Froot Loops" bit:

Link (new window)

She doesn't need to nag us about it, does she?

....and years from now, someone will say that Maya Angelou never said that about MLK not saying what he did/didn't say. And, after invoking Erwin Schrödinger, the Department of the Interior will put it back on the monument. Or their heads will explode. Or they would, if they had enough brains to blow their collective noses. Which they don't.

/Never mind.

white granite is the right choice. Why? Debate over the color brown or black stone would be faaaaaar worse. This way all the hate can be on whitey and not on each other.

My favorite comment from the article:

"AND, PFB, Truman wasn't president when Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Germans."

Mr.Sharpy: This whole monument is a disaster. They spent $120 million on the thing, and ended up with a WHITE marble sculpture of one of America's greatest black leaders. It was chiseled in China, and I think bears more than a passing resemblance to those statues of communist dictators. They couldn't even get the inscription right. What the hell is wrong with these people?

This. It doesn't really look like him. It's fairly unattractive by any standard. The quote is wrong. His POS family demanded licensing fees to make that damn thing in the first place. Great man? Yep. Great monument? Not even close.

Mr.Sharpy: This whole monument is a disaster. They spent $120 million on the thing, and ended up with a WHITE marble sculpture of one of America's greatest black leaders. It was chiseled in China, and I think bears more than a passing resemblance to those statues of communist dictators. They couldn't even get the inscription right. What the hell is wrong with these people?

Monuments by committee will always suck, this committee seemed to decide to not talk to people who actually knew MLK. I don't know if that is true but it sure seems like it.

Honestly, I like the monument. Let's go through the gripes on that The Week article that was linked.

The Chinese Sculptors:
Wasn't King's whole schtick to show the world that people are not inferior or superior based on their heritage? To judge the guy for being Chinese seems a bit...racist.

The Color:
On one hand, I can see why this would bother people. On the other, it could be said that this is a representation of more than just his likeness. Lincoln wasn't alabaster white either. In a sense, they're saying he is on the same level as those others by not making his statue a different color. Of course, being a different color shouldn't automatically mean he is on a different level. That was his whole point...Oh dear. This is a philosophical black hole. Next.

The Size:
30 feet is too small? Sorry, that's just ridiculous. A monument doesn't have to be huge to be good. 3 stories is plenty.

All that said, use an actual quote from the guy, you morans!

Mr.Sharpy: This whole monument is a disaster. They spent $120 million on the thing, and ended up with a WHITE marble sculpture of one of America's greatest black leaders. It was chiseled in China, and I think bears more than a passing resemblance to those statues of communist dictators. They couldn't even get the inscription right. What the hell is wrong with these people?

A heaping helping of THIS

I will be in D.C. in a few weeks and will finally get to see it in person. Almost everything about it pisses me off. The likeness 'fee' paid to the family. Being made in China. The carving looking like a chubby Chinese man. Now goofed up quotes. It is just sad.

Oh, I found some videos of Maya Angelou reading Craigslist postings.
NSFW

TFA: Poet Maya Angelou previously said the truncated version made King sound like "an arrogant twit" because it was out of context.

Oh, so Fox News created the inscription??

How about a quote from one of his hook ups with a white lady: "Who's yo daddy, biatch?

I thought they were talking about his famous "Call me a cab", "Okay, you're a cab" speech.

An inscribed quote attributed to him which he didn't say?
His doctoral thesis from Boston University was comprised of many.

If they change the inscription I vote for; Where the white women at?



Are the feet made of clay?

'cause that would be appropriate.

snocone: Hey, some black guy probably siad it, sometime or other.
In all, good enough for Government work that was not their idea in the first place.

Seen me some other nice monuments.
Like the Wall.
Shows what happens when you keep government THE HELL OUT of yer memorials.

The Wall has a completely different purpose. It is MEANT to be a scar on the land.

Mr.Sharpy: This whole monument is a disaster. They spent $120 million on the thing, and ended up with a WHITE marble sculpture of one of America's greatest black leaders. It was chiseled in China, and I think bears more than a passing resemblance to those statues of communist dictators. They couldn't even get the inscription right. What the hell is wrong with these people?


The quotes from the architect make me want to kick him. He's the jackass that did whatever he wanted. That 120 mil must spend real nice, shiatbag!

consciousNOT: And it's too white (new window)



Pretty sure Walt wasn't that color, either.

How about some accuracy here.

1. He did say it, but leaving off the first part of the quote gave it a false impression.

2. Maya Angelou is not the one who pointed it out to begin with. She was just asked about it after it became an issue.

The Washington Post article yesterday is much more informative.

vwarb: Honestly, I like the monument. Let's go through the gripes on that The Week article that was linked.

The Chinese Sculptors:
Wasn't King's whole schtick to show the world that people are not inferior or superior based on their heritage? To judge the guy for being Chinese seems a bit...racist.

Chinamen aren't really minorities, you moran. You can discriminate against those slanty eyes all you want!

WanPhat: He did say it, but leaving off the first part of the quote gave it a false impression.

He did not say it. It was pieced together crappily from several sentences that he did say, with glaring contextual omissions from the beginning, middle, and end.

Are they going to chisel

"I have a dream to have as many mistresses and casual sexual encounters as my fame and notoriety allow"

At least that would be honest

So when is the sculptor going to finish that thing anyway? He's only halfway done.

JohnCarter: Are they going to chisel

"I have a dream to have as many mistresses and casual sexual encounters as my fame and notoriety allow"

At least that would be honest

It is going to take you a long time editing the other monuments at the capitol. King fits right in with our other Founding Fathers and Lincoln.