African-Americans, particularly those of the generation whose struggles brought about the Civil Rights gains of the 60s, are upset with Barack Obama for not mentioning Civil Rights pioneer Dr. Martin Luther King in his arrogant and often angry nomination acceptance speech.
In only briefly paying homage to “a young preacher from Georgia,” Obama illustrated how much America has changed in those 45 years, and how much it has stayed the same. Yes, Obama could actually become the first black president of the United States - but he must somehow become raceless to do it.
Turns out, it’s not the first time Obama has been dismissive of Dr. King’s accomplishments.
From April:
Most noted was Cornel West, the renowned Princeton University professor, public intellectual, and author of the bestseller Race Matters
. West is not only one of Obama’s strongest supporters, he is also one of Obama’s political advisors. Upset that Obama did not pay his respects to the historical significance of the day, West posted his sentiments, “On Obama Not Going to Memphis,” on The Huffington Post.
“I want to say that I’m deeply disappointed that my dear brother Barack Obama decided not to go pay tribute and lay his wreath for the great Martin Luther King, Jr. That Brother Martin’s profound love and deep sacrifice for black people, America and humanity is in no way reducible to political calculations, even for the campaign for presidency. That Martin Luther King Jr.’s deep commitment to unarmed truth and unconditional love can in no way be subject to strategies for access to political power.”
Of course, even when deciding to ignore the strides made by Dr. King, strides that could be said to have directly led to Senator Obama being in his current position, Obama never misses an opportunity to cynically use the memory of Dr. King as a handy prop and battering ram against his opponents.
When, in honoring Dr. King’s accomplishments, Hillary Clinton also mentioned that Democrat Lyndon Johnson was in a position to pass legislation that furthered Dr. King’s Civil Rights agenda at that time, Obama ruthlessly attacked her.
Obama responded immediately to the Clinton interview, saying she had offended people who believed she had diminished King’s role. The Illinois senator criticized her for spending an hour on television “talking about me and about my record in a way that was flat-out wrong.” He denied distorting her remarks.
“What we saw this morning is why the American people are tired of Washington politicians and the games they play,” Obama said after Clinton made her appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
“But Senator Clinton made an unfortunate remark, an ill-advised remark, about King and Lyndon Johnson,” Obama said. “I didn’t make the statement. I haven’t remarked on it, and she, I think, offended some folks who felt that somehow diminished King’s role in bringing about the Civil Rights Act. She is free to explain that, but the notion that somehow this is our doing is ludicrous.”
Dr. King seems to be remembered when it’s useful for Obama and forgotten when it’s not.
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