With so much at stake in this critical election year, we here at Brand New Congress feel the best way to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr is to highlight the work of two of our fierce progressive candidates, Anthony Clark and Robert Emmons, Jr, who are about to face tough primaries in a few short weeks.
We asked Anthony for his thoughts on the meaning of MLK and his legacy:
Today, I remember and honor the MLK that America hated, not the one that America created.
As we celebrate the life of Martin Luther King, Jr, I ponder how many people realize that right before his assassination, King was fighting for economic justice. He believed that racism was entangled in class discrimination and economic inequality. It still is.
His legacy is sanitized for a multitude of reasons, one of them being an attempt to paint his efforts as solely focused on race, while ignoring the connections he made between racial inequality and economic injustice.
Now our struggle is for genuine equality, which means economic equality. For we know now that it isn’t enough to integrate lunch counters. What does it profit a man to be able to eat at an integrated lunch counter if he doesn’t have enough money to buy a hamburger? – MLK
King had come to Memphis to lead a march by striking sanitation workers when he was assassinated. He was fighting for economic justice when he died.
Our capitalist system is predatory and oppressive. King believed it then, and I believe it now. As a progressive -- attempting to be an ally who fights for true justice -- it means I will attack economic systems that oppress.
And from Robert Emmons, Jr., a day of action and his thoughts:
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
Let’s let today serve as a reminder. Not one of progress, but of how far we must go to fully realize Dr. King’s ideals.
As we commemorate his life’s work, let’s acknowledge that we’ve yet to finish what he set out to achieve. MLK Day isn’t about stepping back from that work, it’s about diving in head first
Let’s show the world that we have a groundswell of support for our campaign and that the PEOPLE are ready for a leader who will truly represent them and their interests. A leader who will champion policies that will improve the lives of all people in IL-01 and beyond.
This is a Day of Action for us. The Illinois primary is approaching fast, and we need all our supporters from the area to join us in this district-wide canvass. Right now, we need to reach out to all the voters we need to win and spread our message of progress and advocacy. To make that happen, we must put in the work.
Both Anthony and Robert are putting in the groundwork not just today, but every day.
John, please help us honor the legacy and memory of MLK by supporting Anthony and Robert. A contribution of any amount will allow their campaigns and BNC to bring true progressive change to this nation.
We are grateful for your support as we continue King’s fight for real and lasting equality and justice.
In Solidarity,
Zeynab Day
