Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's Call to Action

 

January 20, 2025, will highlight a stark contrast between Donald Trump’s Project 2025 and Martin Luther King Jr.'s final message before his assassination. Project 2025, developed by the ultra-conservative Heritage Foundation, advocates dismantling the so-called "deep state" by drastically cutting budgets for government agencies, including eliminating the Department of Education. It also proposes yet another massive tax break for billionaires and wealthy corporations.

In stark contrast, Dr. King’s 1967 book Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? called for a progressive transformation of the American economy. He championed the abolition of poverty through the implementation of a guaranteed income. Dr. King observed, “For racism, poverty, and militarism to end, a new set of values must emerge. Our economy must prioritize human beings over property and profit.”

Dr. King warned of a dangerous agenda: “The segregationist aims to undo all reforms, reinstating blatant oppression or even a form of native fascism within our nation.” He further noted, “Individuals once dismissed as political novelties have become governors or narrowly missed election. Their success is achieved through a toxic blend of bigotry, prejudice, half-truths, and outright lies.”

Dr. King’s call to action resonates now more than ever: “Structures of evil do not crumble by passive waiting. If history teaches us anything, it is that evil is recalcitrant and determined, and never voluntarily relinquishes its hold short of an almost fanatical resistance. Evil must be attacked by a counteracting persistence—by the day-to-day assault of the battering rams of justice.”

-- Tom Connolly