Bayard Rustin - Civil Rights Leader: Re: A good role model

» Eric_Longley - Re: A good role model

Leaders like Rustin, King, Gandhi, etc., who stood up for the rights of the oppressed while eschewing violence, ought to be celebrated for their courage and their persistence, and for their unwillingness to reply in kind to the violence of the enemy. All these leaders had private vices, but frankly, their courage in standing up for what's right tends to overshadow these private vices. That doesn't mean that we need to ignore or excuse their private vices; frankly, Dr. King exposed himself to *blackmail*
(real, not metaphorical, Bill) by the FBI and others on account of his sexual behavior. As far as Rustin's Communism is concerned-Rustin was in a better position to *reject* Communism than most people, because Rustin had actually experienced Communism personally instead of reading lurid distortions in *Reader's Digest.* When Rustin learned that the Party's "line" took precedence over justice, he rejected the Party and took the side of justice instead.

-- posted by Eric_Longley