US right claims spirit of Martin Luther King at Lincoln Memorial rally

[alp227]

Source: The Guardian

Tens of thousands descended on Washington today for one of the biggest culture clashes in decades – one that pitted an almost exclusively white crowd against one that was predominantly African-American. Both claimed the legacy of Martin Luther King.

The biggest crowd was for a rightwing rally supported by the Fox Television host and author Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin and Tea Party activists, who gathered at the Lincoln Memorial, where King delivered his "I have a dream" speech 47 years ago to the day.

Beck estimated that the crowd, the biggest show of strength by Tea Party activists this year, numbered in the hundreds of thousands, many of whom had travelled long distances. He claimed he had been unaware when he organised the rally that it coincided with the King anniversary, but insisted that the civil rights leader was an inspiration for all Americans and not any one section of the community.

The other rally, held hours later, was a more traditional event, supported mainly by African-Americans, marching through Washington to mark the anniversary of King's speech. Many of those on the march accused Beck of hypocrisy and of stirring up the black community.

One of the marchers, Chicago student Brendan Yukins, 18, said of the Beck rally: "It is really insulting… the Tea Party always makes a big deal of being open to everyone, but when you look at the crowd it is white, over-45s."

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/aug/28/us-right-king-lincoln-memorial

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Other facts about today's Beck rally:
- There were very few African-Americans in the audience.
- Beck requested that participants not bring banners in order to keep racism away from the overall image.

Yes, I agree with Beck that all Americans deserve civil rights. But are we all really in a colorblind, post-racial society just yet? Obviously not. That's why minorities have been fighting the hardest for civil rights. What a twisted world conservatives inhabit in. Since when have white heterosexual Christians needed Congressional legislation just to be able to vote, attend public school, or not have separate water fountains?

[sam sarrha]

1. that should be...US Reich claims spirit of Martin Luther King

[activa8tr]

2. This comment was posted elsewhere... not by me, but it is appropriate

We should send it to the UK Guardian.

"Glenn feels the need to "reclaim civil rights" . . .

. . . then I think it only appropriate that the DC Fire Department should be allowed to spray his crowd with high powered water hoses, all the while the DC Police are beating innocent people and unleashing their attack dogs into his crowd. Then will Glenn really know what it is like to be denied his civil rights."

[jwirr]

4. That brings memories back. That was terrible to watch and it was

even worse to be there. Today the good old white guys stood around safe and secure and claimed they knew were for the good Doctor's ideals. You are right they should have been hosed.

[Jefferson23]

3. I can't stand that fucking hypocrite, and I can only hope our

elected Democrats do not freak out over the number of people who showed up and see that as a justification to move
even further to the right.

[Roland99]

5. Surprised BecKKK didn't claim his crowd in the millions

the pics will disprove his claim quite readily, much like they did at that ridiculous "rally" last Sept

[jillan]

6. I love reading the Guardian - it is so much more insightful than our own media.

Thanks for posting!

[Rosa Luxemburg]

7. a desecration

[npk]

8. Of course Beck knew this date coincided with Reverend King's speech

He is such as fucking bozo and bigot.

[watajob]

9. How this goofy prick...

... can do this with a straight face is beyond me.

[unkachuck]

10. "Both claimed the legacy of Martin Luther King."

....I wish there was someone on the right with a legacy that we all could claim....

....sadly, I can't think of anyone....