Monday was the Federal holiday dedicated to Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior. It was created to honor the man who spent so much of his life working to not only improve race relations in this country but to improve and enhance the civil rights of African Americans and improve the way we all get along. Dr. King advocated peaceful protests against racial segregation, racial discrimination and racial hatred and decried the injustices perpetrated against African Americans in the United States in the 1960s.
Dr. King’s speeches were inspirational and uplifting. His skills as an orator moved people, black and white, and brought attention to the shameful way black people were treated in the United States. The early 60s were marked by bigotry, hatred by whites against blacks, and segregation, particularly in the South. Separate restrooms and separate drinking fountains were common, as were white schools and black schools. Even government officials, such as George Wallace and Robert Bird, were openly racist and fought against civil rights and equality for all. Dr. King bravely stood up for the rights of African Americans even though doing so put him in physical danger.
So when I heard President Obama say part of Dr. King’s legacy was “service” I had to ask myself “When and where did he say or imply that?”
According to Rev. Jesse Jackson a couple of years ago, Martin Luther King Jr.’s ultimate dream was not just equality of the races, but also apparently more gun control, universal health care and guaranteed employment. Granted Jackson spent a lot of time with King and knew him pretty well but to make such a statement without evidence to back it up (other than himself) is lame. In all the speeches I’ve heard and read by Dr. King I’ve never once heard him advocate community service, gun control, universal healthcare or guaranteed employment.
Over the years since his death people have attributed things to Dr. King that he really didn’t say. Would he have been in favor of more gun control, universal health care, guaranteed employment and community service? I’m not sure, although many of his views were somewhat conservative. He wasn’t registered with either party but his father was a staunch Republican. I think he’d have weighed each issue individually and decided what he thought was best for America. I don’t think he’d have been opposed to community service but that’s not what he was about when he was alive. And for the President to make that part of his legacy is, in my opinion, taking creative liberties with the man’s more than honorable intentions and efforts.
Don’t get me wrong - I’m not against people performing community service to honor Doctor King. In fact, I think if it’s something that furthers race relations, equality and/or helps fight racial hatred and injustice then it’s a good thing. But Mr. President, Reverend Jackson, with all due respect, let’s not add our own agenda items to Dr. King’s legacy. He did well enough on his own, without your help. And if I’m wrong about King’s legacy, I’m open to correction.
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