Thread by @tamisawyer

For those of you caught up in whether there will be “riots,” in #Memphis when the #TyreNichols video drops. Who are more concerned with tranquility. Who are getting groceries and gas today in case the heathens come out. Let me just drop some good brother #MLK for ya.

“But it is not enough for me to stand before you tonight and condemn riots. It would be morally irresponsible for me to do that without, at the same time, condemning the contingent, intolerable conditions that exist in our society. #MLK

These conditions are the things that cause individuals to feel that they have no other alternative than to engage in violent rebellions to get attention. And I must say tonight that a riot is the language of the unheard. #MLK

And what is it America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the negro poor has worsened over the last twelve or fifteen years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. #MLK

And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice and humanity.” #MLK

Full speech “The Other America” from March 14, 1968 here: gphistorical.org/mlk/mlkspeech/