If Dr. King Were Alive Today What Would He Say?
Sunday, January 15, 2012 at 11:11PM 
By EEW Magazine Editors
There is so much progress that has been made since the era when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lived. But what would we he say if he were still alive to witness the tone of the Republican candidates toward Blacks, Latino immigrants, and the poor? How would Dr. King feel about the income gap and the huge economic disparities that exist among the wealthiest 1% of Americans and the rapidly shrinking middle class, and poverty-stricken? Would Dr. King support President Barack Obama’s bailouts of the rich and “hurry-up-and-wait” strategy for lower income citizens?
What would be King’s thoughts be about the black unemployment rate being double that of whites?
If Dr. King were alive today, he would be 83 years old, and I suspect he’d be more than a little bit restless, and dissatisfied with the conditions.
He would not simply want a monument erected in his honor through which he could live on forever, if the tribute came at the expense of his true dream—equality and justice for all.
But economic injustice, though the media focuses most heavily upon that—does not outweigh racial prejudice and bigotry.
I know many argue that racism is marginalized and is no longer a major issue in the U.S.
But incidents like the 2008 act of arson against Macedonia Church of God in Christ in Springfield, Massachusetts, paints a different picture.
After President Barack Obama was elected, while many Americans celebrated and cheered, Bishop Bryant Robinson Jr. received a call at 3:00 AM Wednesday, November 5, from his brother. “They are burning our church to the ground,” the pastor was told.
He was horrified by the shocking news.
That was a wakeup call, not just to him, but to all Americans, that we have so far to travel before reaching Equality Boulevard.
Even though Bishop Robinson and his congregation have built a new church, and God is being glorified where hatred and evil momentarily seemed to prevail, hatred lives on in the hearts of millions of Americans.
But there is yet hope.
If we learned anything from Dr. King’s assassination to President Barack Obama’s nomination, it’s that hope does not live in one man.
It must reside in all people and move each of us to do our part to contribute to the wholeness, and greater good of society.
Reader Comments (4)
He would not have supported the war in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as the one between the Bloods and the Crips. He would not has supported his name being used by Club Owners to support his logo " I have a dream" to support wild and loose living in clubs.
He would have continued his Poor People's Movement by keeping the issue in the forefront of America and creating solutions.
He would not magnify self glorified Hip Hop artist like Kayne and Jay Z or Beyonce as leaders or Royalty of the African American Community if they aren't putting their boots in the community and literally helping and rebuild and assist the poor and improving their conditions instead of constantly taking from them.
Well said @Meagen! Wehave so far to go and there are MANY injustices that need to be dealt with. Great article.
He would say we have not completely arrived because all through my fb, the statuses of african americans and christians and some whites honored his sacrifice but there were many who counted it as a regular day. I was insulted b/c i have no choice but to live race every single day but they don't. So as long as their is injustice for a few its still injustice for many/ People treat this as if it never happened in the UNITED states of AMERICA but it did, anytime we have people calling our president 'boy' we have not yet arrived but we are getting better. Students STILL have to attend white schools to optain a quality education and I dont see any politics crying about how they want to change that but yet we are all on welfare. HMMMM? even if this wasnt simply a sterotype I wonder why?
When they have an answer to that question THEN i would think DR> KING would have nothing to say.
Great post EEW! Let the church say, "Amen!"