Martin Luther King III (MLK III) shamefully met with Donald Trump continuing the path many in our plutocracy are weaving to normalize Trump’s offensive behavior.
MLK III shameful answer to CNN Acosta’s question
We should all strive for unity. However, there are times when it is imperative that in doing so we do not normalize offensiveness. MLK III did that. He did it using his dad’s code language for moving us forward. And that is shameful.
Jim Acosta’s question was on point.
“Isn’t there something that just to your core when you hear the president-elect refer to John Lewis as all talk and no action?” Jim Acosta asked. “I mean nothing can be further from the truth. Isn’t that right? John Lewis is not all talk and no action.”
MLK III’s answer denoted a false equivalency that must not be allowed to go unanswered.
“Absolutely I would say John Lewis has demonstrated that he is action,” MLK III said. “As I said, things get said on both sides in the heat of emotion. And at some point this nation, we’ve got to move forward. We can’t stay on, I mean people are literally probably dying. We need to be talking about how do we feed people. How do we clothe people? How do we create the best education system? That’s what we need to be focused on.”
Notice how MLK III first creates a false equivalency of the two sides’ rhetoric being equal. He then goes into the economic justice message. This is completely disingenuous. Instead of putting Donald Trump on the defensive, forcing him to change behavior lest he becomes a functional pariah, his visit along with the visit of many high profile minorities give Trump the license to harm and offend using those of MLK III’s ilk for cover. Their actions are shameful and counterproductive. It is not about trying to get along. It is about encouraging Trump to remain the same character that he continues to be.