Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2018/01/16/redistribution.html
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“If America does not use her vast resources of wealth to end poverty and make it possible for all of God’s children to have the basic necessities of life, she too will go to hell.”
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While we’re on the topic of how conservatives and centrists continue to whitewash King’s legacy, let’s also remember that in 1966 Gallup polls showed American’s views of MLK as 32% positive and 63% negative. Being on the right side of history isn’t the same thing as being popular.
That’s one reason it’s so sickening to watch so many people on the right voicing empty platitudes about how we should all strive to be more like King even as they champion policies he would have fought with every fiber of his being. Heck, Pence praised King’s peaceful protest even though he personally just made a show of walking out of an NFL game because a handful of players took a knee in protest of racist police violence.
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Conservatives actually still try to tear the man down by talking about his infidelity, as though that somehow invalidates his contributions to civil rights.
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In 1983, some republican leaders still protested King’s legacy. At least they were honest about what he stood for, and what they stood against.
http://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/04/us/king-holiday-bill-faces-a-filibuster.html
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They seemed curiously quiet on that front this year. I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that the guy they put in the White House paid hush money to a porn star to cover up the sexual tryst they had when his third wife was at home taking care of his newborn fifth child.
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Indeed. I would love to get into that debate with some conservatives.
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They are really only interested in the pacifism of their ideological opponents.
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In 2018 we still have some of the senators who voted against the holiday.https://thedailybanter.com/2018/01/six-sitting-members-of-congress-mlk-day/
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Good link. Thanks.
For what it’s worth, those six are not equal. Yes, Sensenbrenner and Rogers are your basic Republican cretins who’ve been in the House forever. They are not likely to change or acknowledge their mistake.
But the other four have (at least) given some acknowledgement of their mistake (at least on this issue – they are still beholden to every Republican talking point on other issues). And Grassley has – by Republican standards on civil rights – been pretty decent.
Of course, they won’t do anything to fix their past statements or votes, but they do speak nice words about King. In fact, they might even offer a thought and a prayer!
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In 1983 Republican leaders weren’t yet officially on the wrong side of history like they are now.
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