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April 05, 2008 05:38 AM UTC

Of All Days...

  • 4 Comments
  • by: Go Blue

( – promoted by Colorado Pols)

McCain lies about “his fight” to make MLK Day a holiday.

From the desk of Congressman John Conyers

McCain Waits 25 Years to Apologize for Voting Against the MLK Bill

Four days after Dr. King’s death, on April 8, 1968, I introduced a bill that would allow this nation to celebrate the life and work of its greatest civil rights leader with a federal holiday. Though it would take 15 years, from 1968 until 1983, the King Holiday Bill was eventually signed into law through the efforts of friends on the ground and friends in the Congress. Unfortunately, John McCain was not one of those friends.

On August 2, 1983, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the King Holiday Bill by a veto-proof vote of 338 to 90. While Dick Cheney and Newt Gingrich voted for the bill, those in opposition included then-Representative John McCain. McCain likes to attribute his vote against the King Holiday to his being “brand-new in the Congress,” but he certainly wasn’t brand new to this matter of a holiday when he supported the Arizona governor’s decision to repeal the state King holiday in 1987.  

As we observe the 40th anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination, I ask that we examine the principles and values on which Dr. King based his work, and apply them to our work today. It is 40 years later, and this country finds itself again poisoned by war, a war that is jeopardizing the civil rights and civil liberties of all Americans – and again, Senator McCain is complicit.  From the Iraq War and a failing economy, to inadequate healthcare and unsatisfactory schools, it is up to us to finish Dr. King’s work. So I ask Senator McCain that as he apologizes for his vote 25 years ago, that he may recommit himself to advancing Dr. King’s legacy.

Even Dick Cheney supported it… and not to argue with Congressman John Conyers but McCain never actually apologized during his speech today.

From the video, McCain says one thing

In my home state of Arizona, I was not proud that we were one of the last states to recognize Dr. King’s birthday as a holiday. And I was pleased to be part of the fight for that recognition.

Which is yet another bold face lie.

In Arizona, a bill to recognize a holiday honoring MLK failed in the legislature, so then-Gov. Bruce Babbitt, a Democrat, declared one through executive order.

In January 1987, the first act of Arizona’s new governor, Republican Evan Mecham, was to rescind the executive order by his predecessor to create an MLK holiday. Arizona’s stance became a national controversy.

McCain backed the decision at the time.

I’ve known the legacy of Martin Luther King, and John McCain is no Martin Luther King.

Comments

4 thoughts on “Of All Days…

    1.    I use to admire McCain standing his ground come what may instead of flip flopping or trying to have it both ways like most pols, but I can’t even do that anymore.

        Is it possible that if McCain is elected we get the worst of both worlds:  pig headed like the neo-cons on Iraq, and wishy washy like Mittens or Bob Beauprez on everything else?

  1. To him obedience is duty–He doesn’t recognize dissent as duty.

    McCain didn’t oppose a holiday for MLK because McCain is a racist: he opposed it because he felt MLK was an unamerican agitator.

    This was the common view of the establishment until the impact of MLK’s life became to obvious to ignore.  I am not talkin about the “Martin Luther Coon” set, who were just racists:  I am talking about the flag waving, my country right or wrong types.

    MLK was a great man, who did great things, but it is important to remember that he was just a man.  He was a flawed man, whose failures, personal and public, are well documented, but rarely discussed except by those that hate him and his ideas.

    I think its important to discuss MLK’s failures and foilbles to remind us that he was human and by corallary, to prevent us from letting ourselves off the hook.  If MLK is perfect we can excuse ourselves for not even trying to achieve justice in america, because he was great and we are not.

    But I digress I wanted to talk about McCain and the future.

    People forget that the reason the FISA court was created was because the government through its CoIntelPro spied on and ran dirty tricks against MLK and other “unamerican” elements: civil rights activist, feminists, anti war demonstrators, and others.

    This goes on today: the DoD spies on Quakers. Quakers!!! Give me a break. If Quakers are a threat to this country, how about the Menonites?  Or the girl scouts?  I find the fact that as a nation we spy on non violent domestic groups offensive.

    My problem with McCain on this isse is that it reflects his blind obedience.  Stay in Viet Nam, stay in Iraq, regardless of the strategic reality. Demonize dissent, turn any policy disscussion into “date certain for surrender”.

    If there was a MLK today, McCain would villify him and consider him an enemy of the state.  We shouldn’t have to wait 40 years to listen to the voice of dissent.

    Wow!  Too long.

  2. In a new media world, public people are being questioned on their actions as insight into their true feelings. Within a nano second all of yours words, votes and writings can be researched.  This is a great thing.  It can give us clarity into the personality and intentions of said person.

    In 1983, we all understood the greatness of Dr. King  and McCain understood his vote. What McCain hated was Dr. King gave legitimacy to the charges of inequality in this nation and therefore began the shift of power in America. Remember power is never given, each generation takes it.

    So now McCain is running for President against America’s first Black Democratic nominee – who is young, intelligent and focused on our future.  McCain’s words and actions in 1983, about Black America, are now clearly considered ridiculous and to some racist.  So, he is now trying to “spin” his words and actions, the issue for McCain is how fast you can be proven to be a liar and how many will know it.

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