why has it been so easy for the far right to adopt mlk as one of their own

[miscsoc]

given that the man was so very left wing. he didn't even die a very long time ago.

is it something to do with his mythologization/distortion by the establishment into a non confrontational figure whose only aim was formal racial equality within a bourgeois society

he explicitly praised democratic socialism and explicitly saw the civil rights struggle as inseperable from issues of class justice.

[pnwmom]

1. Because he was a Christian, and a minister, and his niece is willing to be their mouthpiece. n/t

[AspenRose]

2. He was also against the Vietnam War.

I'd like to see someone on the right rationalize that.

[miscsoc]

4. they actually had a bit of pro vietnam stuff even today!

[October]

3. I think because he was religious

MLK mixed religion and politics in a positive, liberal way. The right-wing uses him to pretend they're not racist.

[luvspeas]

5. Um...because they are LYING!!!!...

None of them are adopting MLK as their own. It's just a tactic to make the left lose it on them.

[miscsoc]

6. I think they are, though, to an extent

People like beck are gleefully falsifying history. Those slackjawed groupies in the crowd today really do believe that they are heirs to martin luther king and that he and all his achievements were conservative.

[Bluerthanblue]

7. they haven't adopted him- they are using his memory

his name, to promote their agenda.

Just like they use the flag, the 'founding fathers', the constitution, and jesus christ- to further their ends.

Jesus was a 'liberal' and advocated giving freely to the poor- without complaint or strings.

[miscsoc]

11. yes, that's right

adopted isn't really the right word, it's monstrous exploitation of a person's memory to promote values they loathed

[miscsoc]

8. I just find this massed revelling in LIES sickening and terrifying

the absolute contempt for truth, the pleasure they take in distortion.

[OHdem10]

9. Who objected???? I did not hear anyone???? Republicans

do as they wish. It is Democrats who wring hands
and shrink away from anything that just might look
confrontational.

No one told the Republicans they could not.

[TwilightGardener]

10. The RW lies and makes shit up and rewrites history to suit their agenda--

it's easy when you have no shame and no conscience.

[d_r]

12. they are trying to cover their racism

It's like saying "see, I have a black friend." See, I respect Dr. King. He said that civil rights meant us poor white people wouldn't be getting our rights tramped on.

[miscsoc]

13. I think there's more to it than that.

It's more like grave desecration. He knows King, and hates him, I think. He gets a kick out of defiling his legacy, erasing memories of what he truly did and believe. I'm sure when he went back to his hotel room after his mini nuremberg he giggled to himself about how he'd turned a dead man's very words against all that he valued.

[d_r]

17. yeah, you may be right

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

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[Tippy]

15. I think they were trying to prove they are not racist

The dam speech was political...."see we like blacks"

[Jade Fox]

16. It's been forty plus years.....

A huge portion of adults do not really understand what MLK was about, or what the forces were that produced him.

It's easy to change history. Frighteningly easy.

[LoZoccolo]

18. Because the right wing has a sizeable degree of message discipline.

No matter what is said, they have a lot of people saying it.