News, 'That man's terrible': Secret Jackie Kennedy tapes reveal her disgust over Martin Luther King's (England, JFK)

[jmking]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

I'm sure my parents and their friends felt the same way, blaming the Watts riots on him and all those other "troublemakers". They were convinced black people were going to come to our neighborhood burn our homes and take away our stuff. That kind of thinking was not all that uncommon back then. African Americans were as foreign to them as Martians.

Jackie was from Virginia, where inter-racial marriage was illegal at that time. I think we have a difficult time fathoming that generation's racial beliefs. They honesly felt minorities were and should remain second class citizens.

Not really. Yes she did spend some time in Virginia but in McLean, Va, a wealthy suburb just outside of Washington DC. Not a deep south environment at all. She was born in New York and split her time in NY, VA, and France. She also went to college in DC.

[DewDropInn]

Originally Posted by Jeramie D

I don't think her feelings about King had much to do with his stance on civil rights. The guy was a notorious philanderer

Somewhere along the line (years ago, now) that is what I'd heard.

[Currency Pair Crocodile]

I have a man crush on JFK. Look at that skinny tie

Otherwise, I never took MLK seriously. He's been lionzed today by you-know-who. His pompous speeches and religious piety were just a facade. I do appreciate the cause he stood for. Yet, christian hypocrisy at its best.

[PatDJohns]

Originally Posted by Antlered Chamataka

I have a man crush on JFK. Look at that skinny tie

Otherwise, I never took MLK seriously. He's been lionzed today by you-know-who. His pompous speeches and religious piety were just a facade. I do appreciate the cause he stood for. Yet, christian hypocrisy at its best.

MLK has been lionized because he was a GREAT MAN. There are very, very few men who I hold in the same esteem as MLK. Whatever his private life, he was quite possibly the greatest American poliitician for what he accomplished.

Christian hypocrisy my a%$!

[Currency Pair Crocodile]

Originally Posted by PatDJohns

MLK has been lionized because he was a GREAT MAN. There are very, very few men who I hold in the same esteem as MLK. Whatever his private life, he was quite possibly the greatest American poliitician for what he accomplished.

Christian hypocrisy my a%$!

I'm sure everybody agrees he was a champ in public life. There's immense romanticism around. However, this thread looks at the private life of a pastor/minister.

Christian clergymen always preach what they do not practise. And MLK is no exception.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by jmking

Not really. Yes she did spend some time in Virginia but in McLean, Va, a wealthy suburb just outside of Washington DC. Not a deep south environment at all. She was born in New York and split her time in NY, VA, and France. She also went to college in DC.

Granted she did spend much of her time up North, but DC and Northern Virginia were much more culturally Southern when she was growing up than they are today. This is where I live so I do know a bit about how it's changed over time. It wasn't until the 60s that it shook off much of it's "Southernness" as more folks moved here from elsewhere. Inter-racial marragie was illegal until the law was struck down in 1967. I'm sure if put to a vote, the law would have been retained. I don't believe racism though was restricted to the South, hence my comments about Southern California.

[Pretzelogik]

Originally Posted by silverkris

Maybe it sounds a little surprising today because we've often lionized MLK as a saint or paragon. However, back in the 1960s, King wasn't the popular person that he is today. Certainly the ruling establishment viewed him with suspicion because he was "rocking the boat". Change, or the threat of change, is always uncomfortable to those who have the power and perceive a loss of their prestige and influence. Viewed in that light, it isn't surprising that J. Edgar Hoover had him under surveillance.

But none of these should diminish from his accomplishments, for which he is honored. It's just that we have to recall the context of how a person is viewed.

Looking back at MLK thru rose colored glasses?

[jmking]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

Granted she did spend much of her time up North, but DC and Northern Virginia were much more culturally Southern when she was growing up than they are today. This is where I live so I do know a bit about how it's changed over time. It wasn't until the 60s that it shook off much of it's "Southernness" as more folks moved here from elsewhere. Inter-racial marragie was illegal until the law was struck down in 1967. I'm sure if put to a vote, the law would have been retained. I don't believe racism though was restricted to the South, hence my comments about Southern California.

I'm from the area too, born and raised. My opinion is she is a Northerner not a Southern bell at all, just the opposite.

[ovcatto]

Originally Posted by Jeramie D

The guy was a notorious philanderer (though to be fair, Jackie should've been more disgusted with photos of her own husband if this is her barometer for a good man).

Based primarily on what J.Edgar Hoover intimated. Either way, the tapes in question where made after Hoover presented Jackie with tapes alleging one thing of another, but as Caroline Kennedy recounts, her mother changed her opinion over time and I might note attended King's funeral.

[theoldnorthstate]

what strikes me as a little odd is how these, i suppose, controlled tapes recently released show Jackie be somewhat negative in this way or that and Jack being positive in response.

wonder if they were a bit contrived at the time to be a possible political plus for Jack Kennedy if needed. You know big sweet good husband chides slightly off wifey in a gentle loving way. It was the 60's

and once he was killed it became unnecessary and they remained in cold storage. just an observation. just smells a little