Tavis Smiley schools Bill Maher on the profundity of MLK's message and the possibility that "They" killed him

From http://www.911blogger.com/node/14635

Tavis Smiley schools Bill Maher on the profundity of MLK's message and the possibility that "They" killed him

9/11 Blogger
Tuesday, April 1, 2008

On friday, Tavis Smiley schooled Bill Maher and guests on the depth and harder truth-telling nature of Martin Luther King Jr.'s messages. He reminded the panel that King spoke about God's judgment on America, American arrogance and also made the claim that his own government was the "greatest purveyor of violence in the world today." He finished up his train of thought by saying that "part of being a patriot means to stand as a truthteller and say what needs to be said." Amen Tavis!

(Article continues below)

Bill Maher, who apparently has never heard of William Pepper and the jury that, less than a decade ago, found elements of the US government guilty of a conspiracy to murder MLK, couldn't believe that Smiley was actually saying that "they" killed him.

Bill: "Just so you don't get into trouble, the "they" that disinvited him from the White House is a little different from the "they" who shot him dead?

Tavis: "I could debate you on that."

Bill: "No?"

Tavis: "I could debate you on that."

Bill: "You're a nut."

At least Bill didn't tell him to take his medication. Bill's "you're a nut" comments feel almost like knee-jerk responses, because he knows nothing else, and likely, can't handle anything besides his Bush-bashing, "middle America is stupid," cynical and empty, false liberalism.

I think we should reach out to Tavis Smiley and his producers and ask them to have on David Ray Griffin. A few weeks ago, I asked a panel of people in the world of books and media (i.e. LA Times book reviewer, NPR producer etc.) whether there was ever social or political pressure to not feature any books or topics that might be considered too incendiary, bringing up the example of David Ray Griffin and the truth of 9-11. And the only one of them who gave an actual response to the question was Carole Chouinard, currently one of Smiley's producers and formerly one of Maher's producers. This segment on Maher has me convinced that Tavis is open to the harder truths and, at times, a very articulate defender of them. Among Charlie Rose, Bill Moyers and Tavis Smiley, our best bet for getting 9-11 truth on PBS is Smiley.

from http://www.tavistalks.com/contact
rest of the email contacts are there

The Tavis Smiley Show (on PRI)

Sheryl Flowers - Executive Producer- sflowers@tavistalks.com
Morris W. O'Kelly - Producer/Editor
Martin Erb - Webmaster
General e-mail: tavis@tavistalks.com

Tavis Smiley (on PBS)

Neal Kendall - Executive Producer- nkendall@kcet.org
Jonathan X - Director
Carole Chouinard - Producer- cchouinard@kcet.org
Vanessa Smith - Producer
Holly Williamson - Producer
Luke Sader - Talent Producer
Chris McDonald - Segment Producer
Greg Schowengerdt - Associate Director
Kimberly Logan - Associate Producer
Sava Kim Ellis - Production Supervisor
Tricia Robinson - Talent Coordinator
Karen Imendorf - Talent Coordinator
Tommy Caprio - Line Producer
Eric Steckler - Production Controller
Roarke Beach - Production Assistant
Lenny Graham - Researcher
Thomas Freeman - Production Coordinator
Wendi Chavis - Web Site Editor
General e-mail: tsinfo@kcet.org

glasshour76
9 months ago 11
Have you guys read Pat Buchanan's spirited defense of Adolph Hitler and the Nazi's? Recent Pat Buchanan written article!

VirginiaJones1
7 months ago 2
I agree with Tavis 100%. There is a double standard. But, he's stating the obvious. I like how everyone basically ignored what he said about Dr. King saying the same thing as Rev. Wright about American amorality and violence in the world.

VirginiaJones1
6 months ago
"Most drug offenders are white. Five times as many whites use drugs as blacks. Yet blacks comprise the great majority of drug offenders sent to prison. The solution to this racial inequity is not to incarcerate more whites, but to reduce the use of prison for low-level drug offenders and to increase the availability of substance abuse treatment."Source: Human Rights Watch, "Racial Disparities in the War on Drugs" (Washington, DC: Human Rights Watch, 2000)

VirginiaJones1
6 months ago
The NCVS records PERCEIVED race, age, and gender. It's ENTIRELY subjective & completely unreliable and meant to be a supplement to the UCR. Any statistics that come from that report are ENTIRELY controversial, unscientific, & unreliable. Additionally, there is STILL no category of crime collected in a national database called violent interracial crime. You have to break crimes down into specifics. Hate crime would be a specific crime. That would the beginning of a legitimate discussion.

VirginiaJones1 6 months ago
VirginiaJones1
6 months ago
You OBVIOUSLY don't know what type of world I'm living in. To admit the TRUTH of a matter, that racism DOES EXIST AND AFFECT BLACK PEOPLE, doesn't mean I'm a victim. It's a fact. YOU should step outside your door and actually LISTEN to people instead of dismissing their reality. I don't know what race you are and you don't know mine. But, you DO ASSUME a great deal. I'm done talking to you. My I.Q. is actually dropping to your level. I want to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time.

VirginiaJones1
6 months ago
His name is NOT TRAVIS. His name is Tavis. At least if you're going to accuse him of being racist, get his name right. Larry Elder NEVER specified what categories of crime that black people supposedly commit more crimes against white people in, since, statistically, most crime is intraracial. He comes on and states non-facts that support his opinion that black people are bad and racist. He's an idiot. He doesn't come with any solutions only mis-statements of statistics.

VirginiaJones1
6 months ago
What are talking about, "obsession with racism?" In the minds of people like you and Larry Elder ANY discussion of racism is an obsession. You act as though racism doesn't exist and doesn't affect the lives on black people, which just isn't true. Secondly, black people aren't the only people that benefit from welfare and socialized programs. If you end those programs, you would affect single white women with children, as well. But nobody wants to discuss that.

VirginiaJones1 6 months ago
VirginiaJones1
6 months ago
Thirdly, black people don't USE drugs more than white people. They get CAUGHT and INCARCERATED for using drugs more than whites. That's because of racial profiling. Until we address the disparities in the system, we can't have a fair discussion about "police involvement because of association with drugs."

Lawlow1978
1 year ago
Larry Elder knows very well that the statement from Dr. King of prejuidice plus power equals Racism refers to it Institutionally, not on an individual case which he brought up to cloud up the comment on that statement by Smiley.