Northwest labor press., January 15, 2016, Page 8, Image 8

PAGE 8 | January 15, 2016 | NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
Martin Luther King Jr.’s
unfinished
labor
Today we honor and celebrate Martin Luther King U.S. history up to that point — wasn’t just for an
Jr. the third Monday every January, but the version end to racial discrimination. It was the “March on
of King we hear most about has been sanitized, Washington for Jobs and Freedom.” Not just free-
whitewashed. We hear a
dom, but jobs. Not just
lot about King the
an end to racial discrim-
dreamer, King the inte-
ination in housing, but a
“We've got some difficult days ahead.
grationist, King the civil
guarantee of decent
But it really doesn't matter with me
rights icon.
housing for all Ameri-
Too often neglected is
cans. Not just an end to
now, because I've been to the moun-
the King who hungered
racial discrimination in
taintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody,
for economic justice,
employment, but an in-
I would like to live a long life; longevity
who stood with black
crease in the minimum
has its place. But I’m not concerned
workers in union strug-
wage to $2-an-hour —
about that now. I just want to do God’s
gles, who called for a
which would be over
will. And He’s allowed me to go up to
massive government
$15 in today’s dollars.
jobs program. That
Not just an end to vot-
the mountain. And I’ve looked over.
King, in the final days of
ing restrictions, but a
And I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may
his life, was organizing
comprehensive program
not get there with you. But I want you
a Poor People’s Move-
to train and employ all
to know tonight, that we, as a people,
ment — to march on
unemployed Ameri-
will get to the Promised Land. So I’m
Washington, D.C., and
cans.
happy, tonight. I’m not worried about
set up a tent city there
Those were King’s
until the government got
goals
in 1963, and they
anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine
serious about ending
remained
his goals in
eyes have seen the glory of the coming
poverty. That King was
1968 when he was as-
of the Lord.”
the target of dismissive
sassinated. Too many of
— Martin Luther King, Jr., in Memphis in
newspaper editorials
them today remain un-
support of striking public-sector workers,
and surveillance by a
done.
the day before his assassination
paranoid FBI.
So this MLK Day,
Even when we hear
let’s not congratulate
about the 1963 March
ourselves on all that he
on Washington — at
and we achieved. Let’s
which he made the “I Have A Dream” speech — take up his unfinished labor. Let’s pass a $15 min-
it’s too often forgotten what they were marching imum wage, and demand that government inter-
for. The march — the largest demonstration in vene to reverse growing economic inequality.