And, as my son noted, the same development continues. That is, when he was young, we began hearing about MLK well before Christmas, and it continued well past Black History Month. Throughout the rest of the year you could count on hearing MLK quoted or referenced at least once a week in sermons, interviews, speeches and newscasts.
Now? The first mention of MLK Day I heard was last Tuesday (apart from the extended weather forecast that had today as MLK Day on the calendar). I remember as a pastor being in meetings in November when I was asked plans for the day. Now? Our priest mentioned him in his homily yesterday, but that's it. I think that's the first time I've heard him mentioned in church since last year. Yet when we came into the church, like most churches I had seen, it wasn't uncommon to hear him reference many times over the year. I did see a MLK post on some news page last year before the holidays. Can't remember why, but that was it.
After all, we've all but completely endorsed judging and sizing people up based on race and skin color (think White Privilege). And since 2020, the Left has made it clear that violence, rather than never being the answer, can be a darn good answer. So much for the man of peace calling for content of character over skin color.
Yes, there were some attempts in 2020 and 2021 to insist we had the MLK legacy all wrong. That before he was killed he was warming up to a bit of the old ultra-violence, especially when dealing with America's whiteness problem. But that seemed to have crashed pretty quickly.
Now, it's the odd mention every few months give or take. And for a week or so, we roll out the MLK day focus, hit it hard on the day itself (the message today apparently being that MLK would be right with the anti-ICE protesters), and then that's that. We'll see. But if this year is anything like the last several, this too shall pass and pass quickly.
BTW, this is not an indictment on the man himself. It's an indictment on a nation that has played this false for decades. It's just so apparent when you see how MLK has been manipulated to achieve ends it's unlikely MLK ever imagined.
Sorry to be a bore, here. Just to note that AFAIK Bayard Rustin was the only member of King's circle who objected to the race patronage regime which appeared after 1968.
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting. I can understand why. I've read that since the late 60s, and the death of MLK, the situation within the black community has plummeted far lower than it had been before, even in periods with formal, legalized discrimination.
DeleteMLK Jr. was an acceptable icon for white boomers to take on. His messaging was convenient until it wasn't after DEI was firmly supplanted in its wake, and "oh by the way... the only way to judge a person is by the color of his/her skin. Character be darned!"
ReplyDeleteOuch. Though true. As I said, in many ways as Christianity got shoved in the closet and a great many Christians in the USA were willing to surrender and go quietly, MLK became our discount Jesus. In my ministry days, I couldn't go a week without hearing him referenced. In some cases, I heard him quoted as much as Jesus. But as you say, in our post-2020 and DEI culture, there's not much room for him now. Except as an occasional token of convenience (he was a bigger thing for a couple days this year because apparently he would be all in on joining the anti-ICE protests).
DeleteIf I never hear another word about Martin Luther King Jr., it will be too soon. The man was a professional tool, and nothing like his media-created image. ---- G. Poulin
ReplyDeleteWell, don't worry. It's getting there. I was at the bank last week and the teller forgot about Monday being closed. When informed it was MLK day, she said yeah, you hardly ever hear about that anymore. Like Bernadette said, he played his part. But in our age of 'violence can be a darn good answer and besides, you should be judging based on skin color', there just isn't much left to do with him.
Delete