Thread by @dereckapurnell

the united states has convinced do many people that MLK day is a day of service. MLK wasn't interested in "service," he was interested in the redistribution of wealth to render poverty obsolete. Less service, more redistribution

He was called “the most dangerous man in America” by the FBI, not because he was interested in community service, but because he was promoting anti-militarism and anti-capitalism

He was organizing a poor people's campaign to use direct action against the US government for maintaining economic inequality, not to "help out poor people," but to end the idea of poor people

On militarism and capitalism:

kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/do…

on his frustration with white moderates and the church who didn't like his nonviolent direct action to fight for equality:

africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/L…

And the part of MLK's "I Have A Dream" speech that you skip over:

"We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality."

npr.org/2010/01/18/122…

People will remind us that King practiced non-violence. That is a half truth.

MLK practice non-violent DIRECT ACTION. He and others physically put their bodies on the line against the U.S. government, against state and local governments, against police.

The "direct action" is often left out because the people we protest against wants you to think that non-violence means inaction and it does not. Non-violence also does not mean peaceful. They don't want non-violent direct action. They don't want any action at all

so yes, clean your neighborhoods, plant your flowers, donate or whatever other service you want to do, but if you want to be in King's tradition of building a beloved community, join an organization, do political education, engage in nvda, call out racism, capitalism, militarism