Who Should Be Our Next Civil Rights Leader/Social Reformer?

Let's face it. This is a time in which tremendous change is happening. Furthermore, our very rights are being questioned by the actions of the present Administration, especially with the passage of the latest bill which lessens the rights of detainees yesterday.

It is an appropriate time to ask who among the dignitaries of the present day could fill the shoes of a present day Civil Rights Leader/Social Reformer?

It seems that every age has someone who campaigning for the rights of the least of us. Is there anyone who fits this role in present day America? Or did all of our civil rights heroes die with the movement forty years ago?

[edit on 28-9-2006 by ceci2006]

Ceci, it seems to me heroes of any sort are a rare commodity in 2006.

In these modern times, we're more likely to pay more attention to the drivel put on our television screen--look at American Idol-- than who are leaders/role models/social reformers might be.

Cynic that I am, no names come to mind. The nation/world is adrift.

Who are your candidates?

I too welcome a modern day Champion.

I would even take the reigns if I had to. Though I would probably be laughed off the world stage...

Even Gandhi and MLK would have a hard time in todays world. Talk about your tough rooms; A present day hero would be faced with a much more cynical and apathetic nation then either faced during their times of unrest. It is truly sad.

Reminds me of when Gandhi starved himself to get his followers to stop the violence and he almost died. But then, they stopped! Amazing. But in todays world I fear he would die of starvation. I dont mean to sound negative.. But the apathy of the masses in this country has grown to staggering proportions.

Either way..as long as violence IS NOT used to achieve this much needed change...count me in.

If it is through violence such as civil war or revolution... count me OUT! I will not kill people from another country; let alone my own countrymen.

thank you for your time,
TONE23

*EDIT*-Statistical note: this is post number 1111 for me... ... not alot but a cool number

[edit on 9/29/2006 by TONE23]

Thank you, Tone23 and DTOM for answering my question. This has been a subject I have been thinking about since 9/11. I always wonder if there are people who can speak out regarding the social ills occuring today. I have also thought about whether the definition behind "civil rights" has changed due to the chaotic nature that this society is thrown into.

Originallyq quoted by DontTreadOnMe
Who are your candidates?

DTOM, this is a very hard question for me. Simularly to my "Profiles in Courage" thread, this time in history needs social reformers in the worst way because I believe that we are experiencing the "Gilded Age". The rich are getting richer. The poor are getting poorer. The gap between them becomes wider and wider. We are experiencing a lot of inequalities that happened been demonstrated in a long time.

However, if I had to pick some off the top of my head as representatives of what I'm looking for, I'd name: Rep. John Conyers (D.Mich), Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D.-Mich.), Rep. Barbara Lee (D. Calif.), Rep. John Lewis (D.-Ga.) and Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D. Ohio).

These particular people are not the "civil rights/social reformers" of the past, though. I honestly don't think that there is someone with the name recognition of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King. Maybe it is because our society probably doesn't know which end is up right now. That is why I turned the question to the rest of you because there seems to be no one that I can think of that will lay themselves on the line to protest priniciples for everyone and speak for the least of us.

Too much has happened because of that.


[edit on 30-9-2006 by ceci2006]

When I think of current Civil Rights leaders, I think of people who with the mantra of "What more can the government do for me?"

The time for that thinking has got to come to an end. The next Civil Rights leaders should be more in the mold of Clarence Thomas, J.C. Watts, Coni Rice, and Colin Powell. These people should preach self-reliance everyday. All you have to do is look at Hurricane Katrina to see what reliance on the government gets you. The people that depended on goverment the most got hurt the most.

The only problem with that happening would be the Demoratic Party would lose much of it's minority base it has relied on, and ignored for decades. So this movement would be demonized, much like George Bush is demonized now.

George W. Bush fits this bill quite nicely, I think.

Who fits the bill... who's clean enough? Mmmm. I was favourably impressed by Barak Obama at the 2004 DNC... had the feel of a young MLK Jr. I don't know tho'... society seems to "eat" such heroes... some hybrid non-partisan or less-partisan team? A Ventura-Obama tie-up would be interesting... but not "Letter from a Birmingham jail" material tho'...

Victor K.

38'

[edit on 1-10-2006 by V Kaminski]

Honestly I can't think of anyone alive today that has any real influ-
ence that even comes close in comparison to MLK or Ghandi.

If I had any influence/power, I'd go for it, but I don't so yeah..


In my opinion, the only way this country is goingto be reofrmed is
through bloodshed, be that a civil war or a global nuclear war with
casualties in the billions.

It's sad that it's come to that, yes, but in the end, it's the only thing
that will actually be effective.

I also like Obama But I think a good honest man will get eaten alive by the dogs of Washington. Here is a link to a recent apperance by Obama that I feel states his stress and dismay.
www.journalstandard.com...

[edit on 2-10-2006 by factfinder38]