On this MLK Day, as we remember the revolutionary figure that forever changed this country, it’s easy to see that things haven’t played out exactly as he once dreamt. For many people, MLK has become a convenient myth, a man simply ahead of his time who always spoke respectfully and truthfully. It’s far less convenient to point out his affinity for socialism or his staunch opposition to wars.
As fate would have it, today also marks the beginning of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, a golden opportunity for the uber elite to rub elbows with one another and exchange ideas on how to continue subjugating the less fortunate masses. This year’s theme is “Cooperation in a Fragmented World”, I couldn’t make this up if I tried. Calling this world fragmented is kinda like referring to a totaled car as “pre-fixed”. I personally think ‘shattered’ would be a more fitting term.
“Only personal interaction creates the necessary level of trust, which we need so much in our fractured world.”
-WEF Chair Klaus Schwab, who apparently doesn’t trust you unless he can touch you
Meanwhile, a recent report published by Oxfam shows that during the past two years, the richest 1% scooped up nearly twice as much new wealth as the rest of the world. Pageants like this World Economic Forum simply provide cover for politicians, businessfolk, and oligarchs to gather and strategize how to continue exploiting. I’m sure there will be a heavily-armed protective presence around Davos, and it goes without saying that our continued over-investment in police and military also goes against what Dr. King stood for. This was a man beaten, threatened, and surveilled by police right up until the day he was assassinated.
MLK said, “All labor has dignity. It’s a crime for people to live in this rich nation and receive starvation wages.” You wanna honor MLK today? Find a way to fight for justice, for equality, for fair wages, for a basic level of human decency. Otherwise, enjoy the bank holiday I guess.
Side Items
Nepalese Air Tragedy: A plane carrying 72 passengers crashed in the Nepalese town of Pokhara, just a mile from its destination, likely killing everyone on board. Pokhara is a bustling little tourist town and gateway to the picturesque Annapurna mountain range, and its airport opened just weeks ago. The flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara is a brief 27 minutes, but yesterday’s flight unexpectedly and tragically swerved off course and plunged into a gorge about 1.7km from the Pokhara International Airport
Mamma Mia, It’s a-me, Matteo: Italy's most-wanted mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro was arrested yesterday in Sicily after 30 years on the run. As someone about to turn 31, it’s remarkable to think that all those years I was crawling and walking and peeing the reading carpet and growing up and learning and changing and despising police, this man was just in hiding. Messina Denaro once bragged that he could "fill a cemetery" with his victims, so I’ll go ahead and say on the record that this is probably not a community role model
Alabama Basketball Player: Darius Miles, a member of 4th ranked Alabama’s basketball team, was charged with capital murder yesterday in connection to a shooting near campus that took the life of a 23 year old woman. Jamea Harris was shot and killed while sitting in a car, an innocent bystander in a bewilderingly tragic case. Miles was arrested along with one other suspect and is currently being held without bond