Today is the 40th anniversary of the assassination of America’s conscience, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. At the Fellowship of Reconciliation’s blog we are posting remembrances and reflections on King’s legacy for the on-going struggle for justice. Color of Change has really been taking up the modern civil rights mantle, with their activism around Hurricane Katrina, the Jena 6, and the Angola 3. Today they sent out a refresher to keep us real on John McCain’s record on civil rights and on honoring Dr. King (or not.)
As John McCain heads to Memphis on the anniversary of Dr. King’s death, it’s worth noting his record on the issue of a holiday in King’s honor. When he was a Congressman in 1983, McCain voted against creating a federal Martin Luther King Holiday and his home state rescinded recognition of the holiday in 1987. While he has claimed his position has ‘evolved’ and that his original vote was ‘wrong’ his record of support for racist individuals, and his consistent votes against civil rights legislation belie that claim. And he has employed controversial individuals on his own campaign whose own nasty comments about Martin Luther King undermine McCain’s claims of inclusivity and evolution.
– JOHN MCCAIN: WRONG ON KING HOLIDAY