Dr. King exposed folly of right-to-work

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.detnews.com/article/20100203/OPINION03/2030318/1031/opinion03

Last Updated: February 03. 2010 1:00AM
Ron Gettelfinger

Sometimes it's all in what you call it.

During the civil rights struggles in the 1950s and 1960s, many of those who wanted to deny voting and other basic rights to African-Americans in the South claimed they were not so much racists as they were for "states' rights."

States' rights had a nice ring to it. It fostered an image of independence from a big, overbearing government. The reality, of course, was that it was code for denying African-Americans their rights as citizens, many times through threats and intimidation, beatings and even murder.

Martin Luther King Jr. and many other civil rights leaders, including the late United Auto Workers President Walter P. Reuther, helped Americans see through this ruse. It's appropriate, especially during Black History Month and in the 75th anniversary year of the UAW's founding, to understand that King spent a great deal of time and effort educating and helping Americans see the truth about the plight of working people, regardless of color.

"Our needs are identical with labor's needs: decent wages, fair working conditions, livable housing, old-age security, health and welfare measures, conditions in which families can grow, have education for their children and respect in the community," King said in a speech to the AFL-CIO in 1961.

In the nearly half-century since, the overall economic picture for African-Americans has improved, in no small part because of the union movement.

FULL story at link.

[muntrv]

1. Like I've posted here before, right to work really means right to pay slave wages.

[leftstreet]

2. K&R

[laughingliberal]

3. King was in Memphis in support of the striking sanitation workers when he was killed

We could use more leaders like him. It was a tragic loss.

edited for spelling

[Omaha Steve]

5. Dr. King and the 1968 AFSCME Memphis Sanitation Strike

I'm a proud AFSCME member. Local 251.

http://www.afscme.org/about/1029.cfm

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”


Photo Credit: Richard L. Copley

On April 3, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. traveled to Memphis to support AFSCME sanitation workers. That evening, he delivered his famous “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech to a packed room of supporters. The next day, he was assassinated.

Read the full “Mountaintop” speech.

There are several more articles with links at the link above.

[DonCoquixote]

4. Down here in Florida

EVERY employer loves to mention "right to work" as the blatant, outright "yes we can fire you at will" excuse.

[Naturyl]

6. Dr, King also wanted a right to *not* work

He wanted every American to have a right to the necessities of life as a guarantee, regardless of employment. He wanted an end to poverty and an assurance that no American would go hungry or homeless for *ANY* reason. He supported a guaranteed minimum income - and so do I.

[Omaha Steve]

7. Well said!