‘This is MAGA’: A MAGA mouthpiece disrespects MLK Jr.‘s legacy on ‘truth-seeking’ show
Days leading up to Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Day back in 2024, conservative Christian commentator Charlie Kirk had disparaging words to say against the historical figure, further proving that not even a nonviolent activist is safe from Kirk’s crusade.
The infamous clip of Kirk condemning MLK gained resurgence only one day away before MLK’s holiday just one year ago. In the YouTube clip, Kirk claimed that MLK is not worth celebrating. He stated, “I can say declaratively, this guy [MLK] is not worthy of a national holiday.” Kirk harped on and reduced the activist’s legacy as a myth and accused him of fueling too many conversations on race. A focus on race has led society to disregard “character and conduct”—a view that completely disregards the time period MLK lived through.
Social media users were quick to defend MLK against Kirk’s distorted view of history. One X user praised MLK for putting his life on the line for Black people to gain civil rights in the US. They also condemned Kirk’s support of President Donald Trump, who is a convicted felon, while others were disgusted and deemed Kirk’s commentary “moronic.”
An unexplained change of heart
Earlier in 2022, Kirk coined MLK as a “civil rights icon,” and yet, he has used the deceased activist’s name as a reason against Black Lives Matter protests.
So, by 2023, Kirk had completely flipped against MLK. During an America Fest convention in December 2023, Kirk made a controversial statement against the Civil Rights Act of 1964. He argued, “We made a huge mistake when we passed the Civil Rights Act in the 1960s.” There, he used the MLK’s name and professional stance as a reason against Black Lives Matter protests, suggesting the act in question “prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.”
Ironically, this should be an act celebrated by Kirk himself—a staunch Christian. Instead, his reductive reasoning made it seem as if MLK’s philosophy was at fault for inspiring Diversity, Equality, and Inclusivity (DEI) initiatives—something that Kirk, and his conservative constituents, strongly condemn.
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