Now THAT'S A Human Being

[filkertom]

There's a guy many of you may have heard of, but not thought about in awhile: Dick Gregory. An amazing man. Hysterically funny comedian, passionate activist. Someone who, when you think of what he's said and what he's done, makes you truly hope there's a Heaven, so that when he's gone -- and hopefully that won't be for quite awhile -- he can go there like he deserves.

Anyway, Dick was at the State of the Black Union gathering in New Orleans. And, by way of Daily Kos, by way of firedoglake, he had a little to say:

Dick Gregory: one of the best fuckin' people ever.

(More clips of the event here.)

Comments

[the-misha.livejournal.com]

Okay, it's official: Dick Gregory = Made Of WIN.

[darthparadox.livejournal.com]

Wow. What a firebrand.

I think I didn't get most of that

[capplor.livejournal.com]

Except the business about driving. Everything else, I couldn't tell what point he was making.

-R

Re: I think I didn't get most of that

[pyrephox.livejournal.com]

To steal a quote from Ani Difranco about the feminist side of a similar phenomenon:

They only know what they've been told
And they're well cast
But they don't break the mold
And good sources are not enough

Bill Clinton had a good rapport with the black community, but he /wasn't/ black. He had good sources, but he's never going to know how it /feels/ to be black in America. And now that there's a candidate on the scene who is passionate, articulate, has excellent prospects, and /is/ black, Mr. Gregory was essentially saying that Bill better not try to trade on being 'the black president' on Hillary's behalf, because there are a lot of people who are seeing the chance of having the real thing in the White House, and the two do not, and never will, compare.

[wildcard9.livejournal.com]

I really liked how he was able to raise the problems without insulting anyone or pointing fingers at anyone as the guilty party (i.e. not saying "this is X's fault"). Man that guy can speak!! This country, nay this world, could use a lot more people like him.