Remembering Rev. King | National Catholic Reporter

Remembering Rev. King | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: Milton Friedman once pointed out that segregation was allowed to end when automated cotton harvesting machines were invented.  That is not far from the truth.  Dr. King and company helped society make an exit from a system that had outlived its usefulness - yet some clinged go for reasons of personal animus - and it seems they still do in the policing world and in the world of Presidential politics.  Using the criinal justice system to force labor from black men at a low wage is as old as the 13th Amendmentt.  The drug laws, which send whites to rehab and blacks to prison is another example of this - thanks to Jesse Helmes.



The economic policies that are meant to stop dependence simply made many people hungy - including many who are not black - thank you Bill Clinton.  Those neighborhood where sufferng has increased are less likely to work with the police in making the neighborhood better becaue they don't trust the police - and for good reasons - showing that the economic blight is related to police racsim.



While the Church was integral to the civil rights movement - lately it is hardly a friend to Obama and was not exactly a paragon of courage when the issue of segregated Communion rails came up.  Indeed, some of the current hiearchy seems to be in the forefront of those who would oppose this President, largely for political purposes while hiding behind concern for the unborn.  Needs work.



Before Ferguson, many of us said that the last great challenge of the Civil Rights movement was full freedom for Washington, DC (which is also an example of how some black neighborhoods thrive and others remain in poverty).  In the movement here, the Black Church is crucial - following King's legacy of mixing preaching the Gospel and seeking justice.  One leading pastor in the movement, Rev. Walter Fauntroy tells of how he an Marion Barry were setting up a headquarters for Dr. King at 14th and U Street where the McDonalds is now.  Dr. King's next stop was that office and he was going to dig in his heels to free DC.  We all know what happened next, leading many of us to believe that DC was a bridge to far for the establishment.  Sadly, commemorations seem to center around small acts of justice and annual eulogies and not around finishing his work.  Free DC!