Pastor Dr. Allen C. Martin, Christian Fellowship Church, Brooklyn, N.Y. at the NAN MLK March National Mall
“You see, Trump is not your typical racist, where he overtly hates Black people. His position is, he doesn’t have a problem with 'the Blacks', as long as they stay in their place.” A profound statement made by Pastor Dr. Allen C. Martin of Christian Fellowship Church, Brooklyn, New York, prior to Rev. Al Sharptons appearance on stage at the National Action Networks (NAN) MLK We Shall Not be Moved March for Justice, held on the Mall, Washington, D.C., Sat. 01.14.2017. Pastor Dr. Al Martin had ascended upon D.C. an hour earlier on a bus from Queens, New York with hundreds of other protesters to march to the Dr. Martin Luther King memorial in solidarity for justice, in light of the new administration taking office in less than a week. He along with thousands of other protesters from across the country, Black and White, minorities of all ethnicities, young and old, convened to march from 15th and Independence to the memorial. Often under the rain that solemnly fell upon the protesters, could be heard chants of “No Justice, No Peace”, or old anthems as “We Shall Overcome” reminiscent of the civil rights march some 50 years earlier. Remnants of the past protests for voter’s rights, economic equality and civil liberties were echoed alongside current cries of prison and the justice system reforms. On stage represented political and religious leaders, social justice activists including the mothers of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, relatives of Tamir Rice and Michael Scott along with the father of Alfred Olongo, addressing the audience with passion and fervor. The prevalent millennials, led by an exuberant speech from a young NAN member, were charged with congregating this new march of activism to fight the continuous thread of racism within the fabric of America. And yet against the backdrop of the Washington Monument and the new prominent African American museum, the clouds of injustice lay wait for another tweet to interrupt the peaceful quest for justice and equality. The wait was not long.
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“…as long as we stay in our place.” those words conjured up the illicit images of trumped with confused Kanye West, the near senile Jim Brown, the lost in time Don King standing next to trumped with no acknowledgement from him to the press that their presence was even relevant. The staged appearance of racial compliancy of the status quo, was evident in trumped intervals of his Black supporters whose only statements were “I just want a picture” or “he’s my friend” were sufficient enough to perpetrate racial civility on his part through the media spectacle that it portrayed. And although, his invitation and acceptance of Steve Harvey to assist the embattled Ben Carson in his new unwarranted position to head HUD (a token gesture as overseer of the fields), it could not cover up his ‘stay in your place” racist response to Congressman John Lewis’s assertion of his illegitimate presidency. Through a tirade of tweets, trumped unveiled his truth of African Americans, “The Blacks” as he has referred to us. Trumped retaliated with his usual tweets of lies “Congressman John Lewis should spend more time on fixing and helping his district, which is in horrible shape and falling apart, (not to mention crime infested) rather than falsely complaining about the election results. All talk, talk, talk – no action or results. Sad.”. And his later politically corrected tweet lie " Congressman John Lewis should finally focus on the burning and crime infested inner-cities of the U.S. I can use all the help I can get." Another subjective subliminial code word trumped has used referencing African Americans has been "inner-cities". The insult of the insinuation of Congressman Lewis’s inaction with no results was as farfetched as his outreach to the African American community. Rep. John Lewis, whom has fought literally and figuratively for over 60 years for justice and equality for all people, to be attacked by a trumped illegitimate president elect with a history of systematic racists practices throughout his family businesses? The audacity of trumped to tweet such disparaging statements reflects his stance on keeping "the Blacks", "the negroes" "Youse People" in their place and of trying to destroy the legacy of the first African American who rose from his “place” to become President of the United States of America.
As a result of trumped responses, 23 members of Congress will stand alongside Congressman Lewis and boycott the inauguration. So, how does trumped respond? He blatantly cancels his first visit to the African American museum scheduled for Dr. Martin Luther King’s National Birthday on the eve of the day of celebration. Trumped card revealed just days prior to day 1 of the end of a legacy and the beginning of a revolution. We Shall Not Be Moved into a place of yesterday, but are determined to continue to move forward and rise above.
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