Two weeks ago when Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne announced that no charges would be brought against the Wisconsin police officer who shot and killed an unarmed Tony Robinson, he did something that many elected officials do to quell the community — invoked Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
It’s a common tactic used to remind demonstrators that our greatest civil rights leader was non-violent, a tactic used to absolve the gross violence and disenfranchisement of minority communities while placing the onus on said communities to refrain from reacting.
That, in itself, is violence. Dr. King may have been non-violent, but he was also noncompliant.
“My decision will not end the racial disparities that exist in the justice system,” Ozanne said. “Whether we are policing, teaching or parenting, when we use violence to maintain control, we do so at a tremendous cost.”
He then whipped out his secret weapon:
“Violence never brings permanent peace.”
Naturally, Twitter users weren’t happy with the appropriation of King’s quotes to fit a specific agenda.
misusing King quotes RT @fivefifths: never thought there’d come a time when I would grow tired of people quoting Dr. King.
— Christina Coleman (@ChrissyCole) May 12, 2015
Enter journalist and Demos fellow Donovan Ramsey, who offered up a solution to curbing the co-opting of MLK quotes by those ignoring the very violence against Black bodies.
Use Ronald Reagan quotes for the Black agenda.
Black people: the only way to get even is to manipulate Reagan quotes to support a revolutionary black agenda. — Donovan X. Ramsey (@iDXR) May 12, 2015
In this week’s The Retweet, join us as we explore just how effective Reagan’s quotes could be in amplifying Black voices against police violence.
How’s this for a change?
@iDXR Next time a black person is killed by police: “When you can’t make them see the light, make them feel the heat.” #ReaganQuotes
— Christina Coleman (@ChrissyCole) May 12, 2015
Check out the video above and let us know what #ReaganQuotes you would use.
You can find more episodes of The Retweet here.
SEE ALSO:
The Retweet: The Killing Of Walter Scott & Why Officer Michael Slager’s Arrest Is So Uncommon
The Retweet: Deadline Apologizes For Problematic ‘Ethnic Castings’ Article, But We’re Not Convinced
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The Retweet: Stop Using MLK Quotes — Use Ronald Reagan Instead was originally published on newsone.com
