MLK, Memphis and McCain

April 07, 2008

On Friday, the nation mourned the tragic loss of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. For those of us committed to social and economic justice, it was a day to rededicate ourselves to the struggle to make this country a better place for everyone. For AFSCME, every April 4th is a special day to celebrate the life of Dr. King and the courage and will of the AFSCME strikers in Memphis whom King was supporting when he was killed. Across the country, activists held rallies and marches and commemorative events, including several AFSCME affiliates. Local 1733 in Memphis, for example, held a march to the National Civil Rights Museum that received national media coverage. Local 3299 in California held a statewide protest to demand better wages and fair treatment. Images of the strikers’ “I Am A Man” placards were everywhere in the media, including on the front page of the Washington Post . You can also read and hear strikers Taylor Rogers and Elmore Nickelberry movingly discuss the strike on NPR’s StoryCorps. On Friday, John McCain went to Memphis as part of his presidential campaign, a brazen act of hypocrisy noted by President McEntee in his most recent entry on the Huffington Post, “McCain in Memphis: Straight Talk or Double Talk?” And in case you missed it, we’ve posted a special splash page in honor of Dr. King at AFSCME.org which links to an updated MLK section of our website.