Even Donald Trump’s apologists can’t get it right
In August 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stood in front of the Lincoln Memorial and delivered a powerful speech to the public during the March on Washington. MLK’s speech called for an end to racial inequality and discrimination, and his unforgettable words are considered among the most stirring and elegant in U.S. history. MLK described a future in which his “children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character,” repeating the iconic phrase, “I have a dream.”
If MLK were alive today, he would no doubt be having a nightmare. The knowledge that a violence-inspiring racist is “running things” in the White House and that the party of Lincoln has become a gutless gang of soulless sycophants would be more than enough to do it. But adding insult to injury is Dr. Alveda King, who tweeted this on Thursday: “I am the Niece of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Listen to my words… President Trump is not a racist!! He is one of the best presidents America has ever seen! I fully support him!” She then included a clip of her recent appearance on Fox News in which she explains why she believes Trump is, apparently, no more racist than her uncle was.
Given Alveda King’s past comments, this is not too surprising. For example, she pushed a false narrative that MLK was a Republican, only to finally recant and apologize on Newsmax in late 2013. King is entitled to her views, and they of course don’t need to be the same as what MLK would have believed just because he was famous and respected.
But Alveda King made a point of invoking her uncle’s name as a way of introducing her ridiculous claims about Trump, as if they were the authoritative words of MLK himself. She should try focusing on the content of Trump’s character — and leave MLK and his legacy out of it.
Ron Leshnower is a lawyer and the author of several books, including President Trump’s Month