SojoMail - Holy frustration on MLK Day

The Bitter Irony of MLK Day Adam Russell Taylor writes in this week’s SojoMail about his frustration with those who use Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s own words to argue we no longer need what King fought for — and suggests a more fitting way to honor King: No Christian leader has influenced my faith and activism as much as Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. — but the day we devote to his legacy often leaves me frustrated. There’s a bitter irony in a nation that takes a day off to celebrate King’s life and work while that same nation is experiencing a deep backlash against racial justice. Much of this backlash, I believe, is the result of our nation’s rapidly diversifying racial demographics, which some have used to stoke racial anxiety and grievance. [...] On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, many of the same people who are leading the racial justice backlash are the same ones sharing King’s own words. One of the quotes I often see shared is the following 32-word excerpt from King’s most famous speech: “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by their character.” In that speech, King calls on the nation to “make real the promises of democracy” and “make justice a reality for all of God’s children.” But for decades that quote has been ripped from its context and used instead to argue against structural change, including policies designed to fight racism and advance racial justice. Conservatives from former President Ronald Reagan to current U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson have alluded to the quote to speak out against affirmative action. Today, King’s words and legacy continue to be misappropriated. READ THE FULL ARTICLE Forward Share

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