MLK is revered today but the real King would make white people uncomfortable [TheGuardian.com]

^{The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King JR delivers 'I Have a Dream' speech in Washington, 28 Aug 1963 (Associated Press)}

The actual Martin Luther King Jr who lived and breathed is not the man most people will be honoring today because that Martin Luther King is dead and gone. No, the man upon whom they will heap their performative praise with social media virtue-signaling is MLK, a caricature of a man whose likeness has been made palatable for white consumption. Like BLM, CRT and USA, the people who King fought against have now managed to flatten a three-dimensional symbol to a three-letter, chant-worthy phrase worthy of demonization or deification.

I am not condemning this all-American tradition of gaslighting. I had an imaginary friend growing up and he was not nearly as eloquent as this history–refurbished MLK they have invented. I, more than anyone, can appreciate the effort this country has put into manufacturing a version of King that is based on a true story. Whitewashing an entire human being is not as easy as you think. Plus, I understand why they do it:

The real Martin Luther King would make white people uncomfortable.

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To continue reading this oped by Michael Harriot, author of the upcoming book Black AF History: The Unwhitewashed Story of American, go to: https://www.theguardian.com/co...people-uncomfortable