Filed under: News, Race and Civil Rights
Born Michael King Jr., the man known to the world as Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. has continued to be an enigma. Both revered and reviled, he has been a force to be reckoned since he led the historic march in Selma, Ala., in 1965 and continues to be so even in death.
'Sexual degenerate' and 'communist' are not terms often associated with this revered non-violent revolutionary who spearheaded the Civil Rights Movement.
Yet, Brett Reese, a member of the Greeley-Evans School District 6 Board of Education, is broadcasting just such an attack on Dr. King submitted by a listener to his 104.7 FM pirate radio show.
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"Just a sexual degenerate, an America-hating communist and a criminal betrayer of even the interest of his own people," Reese reads during his radio broadcast.
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When asked if this was an appropriate broadcast for a school board member, Reese responds:
"It's ... you know what? That's a good question."
Reese says he agrees with the essence of the letter, and despite calls for his resignation, he will continue broadcasting the commentary every day up to the MLK holiday on Jan. 17th.
While parents are in an uproar over the insulting letter, the fact remains that it is the opinion of a listener and has every right to be publicized.
Dr. King was not perfect, and I believe it diminishes his legacy to attempt to paint him as such.
In 1989, Rev. Ralph Abernathy, a close friend of Dr. King's, published And the Walls Came Tumbling Down an autobiography in which he alleges plagiarism and womanizing on the part of the civil rights icon. Abernathy's assertions-- and other accounts of King's less than charitable views toward women-- are hotly disputed. However, it is not hard to believe than one of our many legends has feet of clay (we all do).
Regardless of Dr. King's shortcomings his impact on racial relations and standards of equality cannot be dismantled by one person's opinion or even thousands.
The world is different and better because of the visionary teachings of Dr. King.
We have a tendency to elevate our leaders to hero status and usually are disappointed when they tumble from that pedestal. Countless people have been called to service because of the transformative message of Dr. King, and that cannot be denied. Even while I oppose many of his views, he taught me that regardless of ideology we should all be able to agree to disagree, and that is a message as effective in our homes as it is in our government. He gave us the tools to create our future in this country. What we have done, and continue to do with them, is our responsibility.
A man doesn't have to be perfect to make a difference.
So as January 17th draws near, let us honor the man who forever changed the course of the United States. Let us honor the man who told us we didn't have to sit at the back of the bus, and inspired a generation of people to rebuke racism, and judge people on the "content of their character and not the content of their skin."
Dr. King's legacy is too vast to be placed in jeopordy by one listener's ignorant rant.