{"id":1225,"date":"2020-01-25T19:17:59","date_gmt":"2020-01-25T19:17:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/utccismcc.utk.edu\/?p=1225"},"modified":"2020-01-25T19:17:59","modified_gmt":"2020-01-25T19:17:59","slug":"opinion-the-whitewashed-dream-and-the-forgotten-legacy-of-martin-luther-king-jr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cci.utk.edu\/ric\/2020\/01\/25\/opinion-the-whitewashed-dream-and-the-forgotten-legacy-of-martin-luther-king-jr\/","title":{"rendered":"Opinion: A Whitewashed Dream of MLK’s Forgotten Legacy"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Martin<\/a>
Photo from the City of Albuquerque<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n


\n\u201cOne hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later the life of the Negro is still badly crippled by the manacles of segregations and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself in exile in his own land.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2013 Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Aug. 28, 1963<\/em><\/p>\n

These words were spoken at a time when Black Americans were considered second-class citizens in a nation they were forced to build. Unfortunately, this sentiment is still prevalent
\nin contemporary society.<\/p>\n

On Aug. 28, 1963, over 260,000 people came to hear Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. speech and to protest the racial war that was occurring in the country. Not long afterwards, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and later the National Voting Rights Act of 1965.<\/p>\n

From a critical perspective, if one looks into the history of the Civil Rights Movement, the progressive legislation was a matter of maintaining America\u2019s status as a democratic pillar in global society. The political move was not as altruistic as some would perceive. Additionally, racial and civil rights halted because citizens adopted this colorblind ideology post-Civil Rights Movement. This whitewashed ideology diluted the true meaning of what Dr. King envisioned for society.<\/p>\n

The Forgotten Legacy<\/strong><\/h3>\n

I choose the opening quote from Dr. King\u2019s speech for a reason. Black Americans are being murdered for protecting their families after play video games (Atatiana Jefferson), eating ice cream in their apartment (Botham Jean) or even walking from the 7-Eleven with a hoodie on (Trayvon Martin). White folks are calling the police on Black families for having a barbecue, a mom using a neighborhood pool and a Yale graduate student for falling asleep in her dorm common room. We are strangers in our own land.<\/p>\n

Athletes are considered un-American or too radical for peacefully protesting police brutality. Not only that, but athletes are banned from a game the love or engaging in political demonstrations on a global level. I think it is obvious that the negative racial ideologies adopted in America spread like a disease around the globe. To be honest, Black Americans are still treated like second-class citizens in the U.S. They have been denied to exist since our ancestors were stolen from our homeland.<\/p>\n

We celebrate Dr. King\u2019s legacy the third Monday of every January. This is usually the day when people tweet harmony, diversity, inclusion, civility, and act like we are in a post-racial society. However, it is a farce because Black people do not benefit from these attitudes.<\/p>\n

People tend to focus on the romanticized whitewashed legacy of Dr. King, which preaches equality, finding common ground, forgiveness, singing \u201ckumbaya\u201d and other things. Contrary to the whitewashing of Dr. King\u2019s legacy, the revolutionary leader battled capitalism, disapproved of the Vietnam War, poverty, imperialism, and so on. Dr. King was powerful to the point where he was assassinated April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee at The Lorraine Motel. He was murder because Dr. King was a Black man with too much power and could not be controlled.<\/p>\n

The Statistics<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"Word<\/a><\/p>\n

The total post volume from Jan. 20-21 was 625,000 social media posts with 603,800 from Twitter. The sentiment score was 64.7 percent positive. These statistics were calculated when searching the keyword \u201cMartin Luther King, Jr.\u201d However, after combining keywords \u201cMLK\u201d and \u201clegacy\u201d on the same day, the total post volume was 73,000 with a sentiment score of 51.9 percent. The top words vary with each keywords as well.<\/p>\n

The above image (below) of top words presents the Sunday School version of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, while the below image briefly mentions issues of systemic racism, White supremacy, disenfranchisement and foundational issues. The image below represents what Dr. King was battling until his death.<\/p>\n

Unfortunate Inspiration<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This article was unfortunately inspired by Donald Trump\u2019s Twitter. To commemorate Dr. King\u2019s legacy, Trump tweeted:<\/p>\n

\n

It was exactly three years ago today, January 20, 2017, that I was sworn into office. So appropriate that today is also MLK jr DAY. African-American Unemployment is the LOWEST in the history of our Country, by far. Also, best Poverty, Youth, and Employment numbers, ever. Great!<\/p>\n

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n