I(rony) have a dream?

King, Jr. speaking at anti-Vietnam War rally, 1967

Martin Luther King Jr. holds a special place in the American pantheon – a place that apparently can’t be described as “well known”.  Not anymore.  This article from the Institute of the Black World breaks down what has become called the “The MLK Whitewash”.  The simple point being that King was a man with well-developed views about important topics who became reviled by his allies later in life because of those views.  But now, in the realm of the sound bite, his life and message have been boiled down to hope, or the concept of overcoming.

So my interest (ire) was piqued recently seeing a Boeing commercial seeking to thank America which includes a brief clip of King in the course of its montage.  What’s not right about this?  For one, King was opposed to the Vietnam War while Boeing provided craft for the US side.

Boeing CH-47 Chinook in action, Vietnam

This cements the idea of King being “whitewashed” – a peace activist, a proponent of non-violence.  Nice co-option for the second largest defense contractor in the world!  King’s image is perhaps already co-opted, though.  “Brazen” comes to mind but that time has already past.  The fact that King’s image can show up in an ad for a military contractor shows a pretty high level of complacency on the part of the audience – Boeing isn’t breaking any barriers or breaking any hearts in using his image.  It’s okay, say their focus groups, if the ad company that made the commercial even saw a need to gauge the response of King’s presence.  He’s just part of the great American story – part of the past, you know, when they/we/he overcame.  Now all is copacetic.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial

The co-option runs a little deeper, though.  It turns out that Boeing has given $2 million dollars to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C.  A benevolent corporate donor.  “Peace, brought to you by war.”

A small excerpt from the speech:

"Somehow this madness must cease. We must stop now. I speak as a child of God and brother to the suffering poor of Vietnam. I speak for those whose land is being laid waste, whose homes are being destroyed, whose culture is being subverted. I speak for the poor of America who are paying the double price of smashed hopes at home, and death and corruption in Vietnam. I speak as a citizen of the world, for the world as it stands aghast at the path we have taken. I speak as one who loves America, to the leaders of our own nation: The great initiative in this war is ours; the initiative to stop it must be ours."