What's wrong with this picture? Yes that's George Bush laying a wreath on the tomb of Martin Luther King jr., While Coretta Scott King looked on. This particular incident happened in 2004. A visit by President Bush, to the grave of Martin Luther King Jr. was denounced by some black leaders and protesters in Atlanta who say his record on social issues and the Iraq war is not in keeping with the beliefs of the civil rights leader.
As Bush placed a wreath on King's crypt in Atlanta, a low chorus of boos could be heard from across the street. There, an estimated 700 protesters beat drums and waved signs that read, "War is not the answer" and "It's not a photo-op, George."
Police had parked five city buses on the street to separate the protesters from the president's motorcade. Officers in riot gear stood on top of the buses.
Bush, who could not see the protesters, laid the wreath, bowed his head and said a silent prayer.
Earlier in the day Bush said "It's important for our country to honor his life and what he stood for," he said, speaking from a pulpit where King spoke 42 years ago.
Therein lies the problem.
It is our duty & obligation to not allow the life's work of Dr. Martin Luther King to become a past -tense historic reference.
I cringed to see Bush laying a token wreath at the grave of Dr. King. How dare the war monger, anti humanitarian feel that he has a right to pretend to honor King's dream?
All of what Bush did would have been Dr. King's nightmare.
I don't want to see any more presidents pretending to pay homage, placing wreaths on Dr. King's grave, with their blood stained hands of war.
Back in the day Dr. King was hip to the fact that the poor are the ones who pay the biggest price of war- doing the fighting & dying. and that people need education & health care- social uplift.
So it is hard to believe this non violent visionary, and natural born leader was assassinated April 4, 1968 ~ 41 years ago today.
Let's not degrade Dr. King's memory by letting his life's work be left unfinished, or worse, make a token laying of a wreath on his grave, good enough. I know in my heart he would not want it that way. Forget the wreath, and work for civil rights, peace and justice. That's the REAL honor~ keeping the dream alive .
His thoughts are still timely & relevant today.
MLK on War
Beyond Vietnam~ 41 years later
2 comments:
Fran, beautiful & truthful!
BE~ Listening to Dr. King's speeches now, it is as if his words were written today, for what is going on now.
I feel strongly that he really would not want the non violent, activist role to become a thing of the past.
It was the gift he gave us.
I can almost hear him saying Don't lay ornate wreaths on my grave, while failing to keep the movement alive.
Go be a Global Citizen, and work for peace & justice, for that is the wreath of humanity. The heart & soul of his life's work.
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