He wasn’t assassinated because he said he wanted his children to be judged “by the content of their character.”
He was gunned down because he was courageous and strategically working to dismantle racism, poverty and militarism.
He was speaking truth to power about the Vietnam War, about economic injustice + racial injustice, about ‘The Other America’ (), about the violence of the U.S. government.
Today, people who don’t want the truth shared about these things are using one quote (from a speech that my father gave about injustice and his dream that we’ve eradicated injustice, including racism) to ban honest history, under the guise of banning CRT.
But banning CRT, which many who are zealous about banning don’t fully understand, isn’t actually the goal. Instead, books about freedom and freedom fighters, including my father, who was a nonviolent warrior, are being banned. And teaching on racism is being banned.
Truth about the past and continual fight for justice and freedom is only a threat if a person considers the freedom of others bondage for them.
Transparency about how racism and white supremacy have devastated and continue to devastate is necessary for humanity.
Misuse of a murdered man (who was then among the most hated men in America by white supremacists for talking about and doing something about what many want us to shut up about today) for the benefit of banning even him is unconscionable.
We must teach our children the truth about history and about what we must do now to conquer hate and injustice. We must do that at home, in school, via books and art, etc.
Anyone unwilling to do so cannot humanely claim concern for hurting white children as a reason.
Black children are human.
Brown children are human.
Racism is destroying the world that all children live in.
And if adults are not courageous enough to confront it, what are we teaching our children?
What are we leaving our children?
Finally, what is the intentional focus on CRT distracting those who have fallen prey to the fear mongering from really focusing on?
What’s not being corrected when history is not being taught correctly?
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
A thread of quotes from my father’s last book, ‘Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?’, in which he shares at length about racism. The Beloved Community was his ultimate goal, but he believed that we had be honest about and eradicate racism to get there. #MLK#MLKonRacism
“The white backlash of today is rooted in the same problem that has characterized America ever since the black man landed in chains on the shores of this nation.” #MLK#MLKonRacism
“The white backlash is an expression of the same vacillations, the same search for rationalizations, the same lack of commitment that have always characterized white America on the question of race.” #MLK#MLKonRacism
Can I ask some questions pertaining to our humanity?
Ok, good. Thank you.
The footage of what happened with Ma’Khia didn’t/won’t prevent me from asking how she could still be with us...Why isn’t every human asking this humane question?
I care about EVERYONE I saw in that footage. Given this nation’s treatment of Black people, I am prone to question, Does Ma’Khia’s death demonstrate more of that treatment?
Why do we have to continue to explain this question vs. more white people joining in eradicating racism?
Have you asked why excuses are right on the tip of many tongues (maybe including yours) when police kill a Black person for any reason?
How can we make true public safety a reality for Black and brown people?
My father’s final speech, given the evening before he was assassinated, 53 years ago today.
“I may not get there with you.”
‘I’ve Been To The Mountaintop’ #MLK
April 3, 1968 (the evening before he was assassinated)
Full speech:
“Now the other thing we'll have to do is this: always anchor our external direct action with the power of economic withdrawal...We don't have to argue with anybody. We don't have to curse and go around acting bad with our words. We don't need any bricks and bottles.” #Mountaintop
This week, I joined with @AmbAndrewYoung, John-Miles Lewis (son of Congressman #JohnLewis), and Al Vivian (son of Rev. #CTVivian) to send a letter to CEOs of #Georgia-based corporations calling upon them to oppose anti-#voter legislation; to use their influence...
with Georgia state legislators to deter any and all bills that include #VoterSuppression and would restrict voting access, particularly for Black communities; and to urge action that would ensure our state moves forward and not back to the era of Jim Crow politics.
We also called upon these CEOs to divest from politicians who continue to suppress Georgia's voters.