Martin Luther King Responds to Hillary Clinton on Social Change

Earlier this month, this statement of Hillary Clinton's got lots of attention:

I would point to the fact that Dr. King's dream began to be realized when President Lyndon Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, when he was able to get through Congress something that President Kennedy was hopeful to do, the president before had not even tried, but it took a president to get it done. That dream became a reality. The power of that dream became real in people's lives because we had a president who said, "We are going to do it," and actually got it accomplished.

What's gotten less attention is what Martin Luther King himself thought on this subject. Chris Rabb points out that King wrote this in an article published in January, 1969 after his death:

The past record of the federal government, however, has not been encouraging. No president has really done very much for the American Negro, though the past two presidents have received much undeserved credit for helping us. This credit has accrued to Lyndon Johnson and John Kennedy only because it was during their administrations that Negroes began doing more for themselves. Kennedy didn't voluntarily submit a civil rights bill, nor did Lyndon Johnson. In fact, both told us at one time that such legislation was impossible. President Johnson did respond realistically to the signs of the times and used his skills as a legislator to get bills through Congress that other men might not have gotten through. I must point out, in all honesty, however, that President Johnson has not been nearly so diligent in implementing the bills he has helped shepherd through Congress.

It certainly would be interesting if a reporter were to read this to Hillary Clinton and get her response on what, if anything, she disagrees with King about.

Comments

Jonathan, You are so right. What pissed me off about Hillary's comment was so many African Americans came to her aid. It showed me that it was for political means and possibly a job with her, if elected.

Posted by: MSO on 01/31/08 at 11:35 AM Respond

"It certainly would be interesting if a reporter were to read this to Hillary Clinton and get her response on what, if anything, she disagrees with King about."

I think that would be a great thing for a reporter to read to her.

Do you know any reporters?

Posted by: capt on 01/31/08 at 11:48 AM Respond

Maybe President Johnson was merely in the right place at the right time,..but nevertheless, he DID get the Civil Rights Act passed. All I'm saying and I think what Hillary was saying, let's give credit where credit's due. Where would we be without the CRA?

Posted by: silverlucie on 01/31/08 at 12:00 PM Respond

I think there is still a little confusion.

MLK (and many others) headed the "Civil Rights Movement" - which was many things and the movement compelled the government to create and pass "Civil Rights Legislation".

There would never have been a "Civil Rights Act" for LBJ to enact into law if not for the hug pressure on him from the "Civil Rights Movement."

People in the movement had their heads broken with clubs and chains, they were placed under arrest, they were attacked by police dogs, they were cursed at, spit on and threatened. The signing of the "Act" was a stroke of a pen.

Hard to seriously compare the two.

Posted by: capt on 01/31/08 at 12:37 PM Respond