Legacy of King more important then ever

Our country just turned the page from the most divisive presidential campaign in recent history, which resulted in the election of a billionaire businessman with a history of discrimination and rhetoric that often is misogynistic and xenophobic with passive racism intermingled throughout.

Faced with this new reality, the life and legacy of Martin L. King Jr. is more important than ever.

Key accomplishments and ideals of the civil rights movement have been under attack from many in elected office, especially here in Kansas.

In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down section IV of the Voting Rights Act, which weakened the act enough to allow Secretary of State Kris Kobach and others around our nation to institute laws that stop citizens from voting.

Gov. Sam Brownback and the Legislature have yet to sufficiently fund Head Start, K-12 education, and secondary education. There have been no true economic opportunity bills passed for lower-income communities and communities of color, nor have we seen summer youth employment initiatives funded at impactful levels. Many of our wealthier elected officials actively work against paying citizens a living wage while they also restrict citizen access to assistance.

We continue to see a nation of immigrants demonize new immigrants for seeking opportunity in our country, even as we enjoy the products they produce and celebrate the companies that hire them.

Forty-nine years after King’s assassination, we still see ongoing police brutality. In true historical fashion, district attorney’s generally stand with their law enforcement peers and rarely pursue charges, and in even rarer circumstances does a conviction occur.

With these issues still occurring, it isn’t difficult to understand why thousands of Americans have held meetings, rallies and protests to seek justice and change. Yet even those Americans exercising their constitutional rights for peaceful protest are demonized.

We not only stand for the ideals and accomplishments of King; we also stand in solidarity with every person and group fighting for marginalized communities, people of color, poor people, and those whose religious beliefs have made them targets of hate.

This story was originally published January 8, 2017 at 5:01 AM with the headline "Legacy of King more important then ever."