Hey Michael L. Williams, I Think Dr. King Would Have Told You To Shut The Hell Up
By Vince Leibowitz on Aug 30, 2008 in Texas Republicans
I continue to be amazed by Republican politicians who try to misuse and manipulate the words, teaching, and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
This time, there is a little irony involved, because the Republican manipulating and misusing the teachings of King is an African American: Texas Railroad Commissioner Michael L. Williams:
He also said he shares all black Americans’ pride in Barack Obama’s nomination. But he quoted a Martin Luther King Jr. speech about how young black Americans must always be prepared.
“We must call attention to the fact that [Obama's] record is enormously thin,” Williams said. “That’s what Dr. King would have asked me to do.”
How dandy. Another Republican elected official thinks they can light a candle and channel Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
You know what I think? I think if Dr. King were around today, he’d tell Michael L. Williams to shut the hell up. Maybe not the ‘hell’ part, but you surely get the idea.
That Michael L. Williams has the nerve to even make these remarks should clue African Americans in Texas into realizing that he’s just playing the part, and willingly allowing the Republican Party to pimp him out because he happens to be a rarity: an African American Republican. He’s a mere political opportunist. But his attempt to drag King into the battle over Barack Obama’s qualifications for the presidency was wrong.
Damn, the title of this alone had me LOL. Given that MLK was openly socialist, and that conservatives in either party branded him a communist and denounced him during his life, I think anyone of the GOP persuasion should be ashamed to ever invoke MLK to defend their causes.
But of course, as we’ve seen over the past seven and a half years, the GOP has no shame.
Vince,
The question from the reporter was about MLK. Williams didn’t invoke Dr. King on his own.
And given you’re a, what? 20-something white guy and Williams is a 55 year old African-American who grew up in Texas in the 60s, I think he’s has a bit better grasp on the words, teaching, and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. than you or any non-African American liberal/progressive/Democrat ever will.
Corbin,
Whether Williams invoked Dr. King on his own is irrelevant. The fact is that he, like many Republicans before him, has tried to hijack a set of ideals that, as a right-wing Republican, he has done his best to betray. When Republicans try to wrap themselves in the cloak of Martin Luther King, Jr. and try to act like they really stand for the ideals in the “I have a Dream” speech, it’s just wrong–regardless of the race of the Republican in question.
Oh, and, for your information, I haven’t seen “20-something” in several years.
You also noted:
A couple of things:
1.) If Michael L. Williams has such a great grasp of Dr. King’s legacy, why doesn’t he stand up for it? Instead, he’s a pariah among African American leaders (USA Today, April 4, 2000).
2.) To say that Williams has a better grasp of King’s legacy and teachings than any Democrat ever will is a joke. Democrats are the ones responsible for every bit of legislation ever enacted that helped minorities realize Dr. King’s dream and the goals of the Civil Rights Movement at large. Instead, your boss served in the DOE and DOJ under Republican presidents and worked to cut the legs out from under initiatives that would help minorities. Do you not see the irony in someone who did that even mentioning the words of Martin Luther King?
3.) “What would Dr. King do if he served on the Texas Railroad Commission?” Since your boss is so eager to cloak himself in the legacy of Dr. King, perhaps he should ask himself this question. Would he consistently put big petrochemical companies over ordinary citizens? Would he put the profits of big oil over making sure that Texans have clean groundwater to drink?
Oh, and since you didn’t mention it, let me make sure readers know that you are Michael L. Williams’ communications director.
And, evidently you are also carrying water for the Republican Party of Texas when it comes to making the party look “Minority Friendly,” to wit:
Michael L. Williams isn’t the “party chairman,” but I’ll give you that and just assume that Politico.com edited your LTE, and hope that you didn’t make that mistake.
You also claim that Barack Obama and Art Hall both “lost” in Texas, and somehow try to equate that to the fact that both are black. Art Hall lost because he was fundamentally unqualified, plain and simple. He was a clueless, period, whites, African-Americans, and Hispanics realized this. Obama actually “won” Texas, polling more delegates. Check your facts.
Let’s be honest, Dale Wainwright, Wallace Jefferson, and Michael L. Williams have one thing in common: they are Republicans who were on the ballot in years when any breathing person running as a Republican at the statewide level would have been elected. That isn’t the case any more, as they’ll see come November.
The decisions, actions, and records of all three Republicans make them identify more with their high-dollar big business contributors than with African American voters. African American voters aren’t stupid, Corbin. They don’t vote for people because of the color of their skin, they vote for people based on the content of their character. Do you really think that the vast silent majority of African Americans in Texas can identify with Michael L. Williams? Hell, the vast majority of people of any race can’t identify with Michael L. Williams because we don’t know what it is like to be rich guys in positions of power kissing the ass of the oil industry.
Don’t get me wrong: I don’t think Michael L. Williams is a bad human being. But, based upon his personal belief system (which clearly seems to match the Republican Party Platform hook, line, and sinker), I have real trouble with him talking about the legacy of MLK as though he’s (Williams) worked to improve life for African Americans or is himself some kind of Civil Rights leader. I’d have equal difficulty if Williams quoted some of Lyndon Johnson’s remarks on civil rights, because–aside from the fact that he is an African American holding office–his record as a public servant is contrary to the ideals for which Dr. King stood.
We’re obviously not going to come to any agreement today, so no need to take you on point-by-point (Politico edited incorrectly (he’s Chairman of RRC, not the RPT); he isn’t wealthy, check the PFS). But you are engaging in what so much of the Democrat party does today in claiming the mantle of MLK belongs to your party and brand of liberalism simply because African-Americans are a reliable voting bloc. To insinuate Dr. King’s dream is partisan denigrates it entirely.
Williams doesn’t have to “try to act like” he “really stands for the ideals in the “I have a Dream” speech,” he represents them. He has lived it and is a living example of that dream becoming reality, as are Senator Obama, Secretary Rice, Justice Thomas, Secretary Powell, Governor Deval Patrick, and many others every day. If you choose to redefine the dream point-by-point to fit your stances on various policy issues (energy, water), it’s your website.
For you take such offense to it simply because Williams happens to hold a differing political philosophy is missing the mark. Further, you (forgive the assumption, I don’t know you) and I simply don’t have the life experiences to completely grasp “the dream,” and I can’t figure out why you seem to feel you have successfully done so.
I would hope you would agree that Dr. King would be equally proud of Senator Obama as he would be of Chairman Williams, Chief Justice Jefferson, Justice Wainwright, Senator West, Senator Ellis and all African-Americans who choose to step up to run for and serve in elected office. A big part of King’s dream is simply having the opportunity to serve.
Sorry to nitpick, but “Art Hall lost because he was fundamentally unqualified, plain and simple.” And Mark Thompson won because he is qualified?
I’ll take further discussion offline. I’m glad to talk or meet with you in person to discuss this further if you would like, and would welcome it. You know how to reach me.
Have a great Labor Day.
[...] at Capitol Annex offers his opinion on Michael L. Williams’ manipulation of the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. c…. For added value, one of Williams’ campaign staffers decided to comment on the post and [...]
[...] at Capitol Annex offers his opinion on Michael L. Williams’ manipulation of the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. conce…. For added value, one of Williams’ campaign staffers decided to comment on the post and attempt [...]
[...] at Capitol Annex offers his opinion on Michael L. Williams’ manipulation of the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. conce…. For added value, one of Williams’ campaign staffers decided to comment on the post and attempt [...]
In RE: 4. Corbin Casteel Noted:
I am sure that Dr. King would be pleased that skin color alone did not serve as a barrier to service for any of these leaders. However, I think, were Dr. King alive today, he’d take a sharply different view of the work done by Senator Obama and Senator Ellis, and Senator West versus the justices Wainwright and Jefferson and Chairman Williams.
Aside from the fact that they are African Americans who have achieved elective office, I see little for anyone who is a civil rights progressive to praise. On the contrary, I see much for civil rights activists to criticize much the same as civil rights activists criticize Clarance Thomas.
If you look at the results of the primary, absent the runoff, yes. Why? Because Art Hall’s record was exposed not only in terms of his qualifications but in terms of his ties to oil companies. As for the runoff, as has been the case many times with runoffs in both parties, low turnout contributed to the bizarre results and the selection of the candidate.
[...] at Capitol Annex offers his opinion on Michael L. Williams’ manipulation of the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. c…. For added value, one of Williams’ campaign staffers decided to comment on the post and [...]
[...] at Capitol Annex offers his opinion on Michael L. Williams’ manipulation of the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. c…. For added value, one of Williams’ campaign staffers decided to comment on the post and [...]