Marvin Gaye

Damn good.

We're so Happy You Didn't Sneeze, Too.

Today marks the 39th anniversary of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I was in Memphis a few months ago and had the opportunity to visit the Lorraine Motel, the sight of his murder and currently home to the National Civil Rights Museum. The museum itself was somewhat underwhelming - a little text heavy, though very exhaustive. It felt somewhat like walking through a very well written, extensive textbook on the Civil Rights Movement. This is great for some, I guess (though America is less and less literate every day, it seems) but for those of us who were raised on Eyes on the Prize, Happy Birthday, and stories from our parents, it felt a little, well, dry. But there is no denying the power of the site itself. Walking down Memphis' Main Street, a once regal thoroughfare just now showing signs of life after 40 years of abandonment, you come to spot where the low slung buildings that line the street have been cleared, leaving a wide plaza. Below the plaza, directly in your line of sight, the Lorraine Motel sits frozen in time. Its the exact image that is seared in our national consciousness. You can almost see Jesse Jackson on the balcony, pointing to the spot where the shots rang out from. The motel has been preserved immaculately, and it really resonates with visitors. Well, this one at least.

I'll refrain from playing the, "What if he were still alive?" game, as he's not. Suffice to say, he'd probably be pretty happy with a lot that's occurred over the last 39 years - he's now been dead as long as he was alive. Damn, dude got a lot done before 40, huh? - upset about other things, disappointed with much, and downright disgusted with a great deal. Anyone see the Boondocks episode where MLK came back from the dead? It caused a lot of controversy but there was some stuff in there worth thinking about.

Anyway, here's an audio clip of Dr. King's final speech, which is chilling in is prescience. Above I've also posted a youtube clip of another legend who died too young, 23 years ago this past Sunday. His birthday was Monday and this song has become part of the soundtrack to the years of upheaval that followed Dr. King's death.

I'll get back to regular rib reporting soon. Just started working with some little baseballers, and that's detracting from my computer time (no complaints here.) But I'll list the last few trivia contest winners, and will provide an update on some tips for optimizing your Spring grilling season. It's a good eating week, what with Passover and Easter, not to mention the first ballpark hot dogs of the year (food plays such an organizing role in religious events of all stripes) so go ahead and enjoy yourselves. Talk to you soon.