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Friday, May 18, 2007
Matt Towery :: Townhall.com Columnist
Death Of King's Daughter Reminds Of The Right Way To Deal With Civil Rights
by Matt Towery
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As I've written previously, it's been my good fortune to be a friend and former counselor to the family of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

I did not know his eldest daughter Yolanda, who died this week. I did know about her considerable achievements.

Weeks ago, I refrained from opining on the entire Don Imus issue. But the tragic death of a woman in her early 50s allows me the opportunity to make a broader statement about how one deals with issues of race and advancement for minorities in America.

I think Dr. King would be proud of the way his family has conducted themselves over the years. Rather than use the King name to get out in front of every controversial issue or presume themselves spokespersons for all American blacks, they've instead concentrated on carrying their father's message forward, while also developing their own careers based on their own talents.

Martin -- MLK III -- entered a life of politics and eventually led the government of the largest county in Georgia. He also was a leader for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, following in his father's footsteps.

Some have criticized his political and administrative skills. So it goes for anyone who sticks out their neck in public service. The man has always been warm, gracious and unpretentious.

Dexter King ran the King Center in Atlanta, but grew weary of constant attack by, of all things, a local newspaper editorial board that prides itself for being the protector of the civil rights movement and "progressive" thought.

It was Dexter who helped steer his family through many efforts to sell their father's documents and memorabilia. Many critics say the King family has tried to profit from Dr. King's legacy. But if similar behavior is good enough for the wealthy family of John F. Kennedy, it's certainly good enough for a family left with very little when their father was murdered. Dexter is now pursuing an acting career in California.

Bernice King is a minister known for her phenomenal ability to communicate and inspire. Just like her father.

Then there was Yolanda, known as "Yoki" in her family. The nickname came from her father. Continued...
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About The Author
Matt Towery is a former National Republican legislator of the year and author of Powerchicks: How Women Will Dominate America.
 
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Reply # 1
Date: May 18, 2007 - 11:46 PM EST
Integration and Communism
I am always amused when I hear conservatives nowadays praising civil rights leaders and black people in general because I remember very well when conservatives believed---and talked plenty about it---that the civil rights movement was inspired by the Communists. Integration was thought to be a move in the direction of Communism. It was impossible to integrate a social occasion even in a small way---like including a couple of black families in an otherwise white wedding or christening---without remarks being passed to the effect that "they just want to get more members for the [Communist] Party".

Google "martin luther king communism" for more discussion of this.
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Reply # 2
Date: May 18, 2007 - 9:49 PM EST
Always a pleasant surprise
It's always a pleasant surprise to find a conservative saying anything good about MLK. Towery is an unusual conservative, in that he has a personal connection with the King family.

I would say that a majority of TH readers who post are not fond of MLK and come close to holding the racist views Roy notes in his post. For the good of our country, I, as a liberal, would rather see evidence of good will toward blacks among conservatives.

Having said this, I would be less than candid if I did not add that, in my view, conservatism, rightly understood, is quite compatible with racism. Conservatives were always on the wrong side of issues involving blacks in this country. While it is true that the Republican party supported civil rights, just remember that the party, in the 1950s and early 1960s, was not especially conservative. True conservatives, both among the intellectuals at "National Review," and in Congress, were opposed to the 1964 Civil Rights act.

In recent years, some conservatives have tried to assert that they played a positive role in the history of the civil rights movement. This is demonstrably false. Conservatism, as a defense of traditional values, beliefs, and practices, is much more compatible with racism in American society than with its rejection.

Whenever I say this, I'm always blasted by conservative readers who protest their good consciences. I'm not interested in anyone's idiosyncratic beliefs; I'm referering to conservatism as a political doctrine. If one looks carefully at conservatism as such, its compatibility with contempt for and hostility to blacks becomes reasonably clear.
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