A plausible sermon by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. responding to the ICE raids in Minneapolis
By Robert Fontana
As I considered the tragic events in Minneapolis, I wondered what Dr. Martin Luther King would say if he had the pulpit in the Twin Cities. I took MLK’s words from two of his speeches and one book – speeches when receiving the Nobel Peace prize and his last speech in Memphis, “I’ve been to the Mountaintop,” and his book “Strength to Love.” I added in my own words to update Dr. King’s words to the current conflict in Minneapolis between protesters and ICE. Here’s what I imagine he might say:
I am happy to be here! The people are rising in Minneapolis. Their cry is,
“Respect our constitutional rights! Respect our dignity as human beings!”
The federal government has chosen violent tactics as a solution to the challenges of immigration. Minneapolis, you have responded with non-violence. Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral question of our time – the violent oppression of the poorest among us, people of color, immigrants from other countries, documented and undocumented. That is where we are today. If something isn’t done, and done in a hurry, to bring the millions of souls who immigrated to our country through this time of dehumanizing lies, malicious attacks, and political oppression, this constitutional experiment in democracy is doomed.
The fundamental issue is this: the refusal of the president of the United States of America to recognize the God-given dignity and humanity of immigrant men, women and children, many who have fled the violence of their home country for the dream to live in the land of the free. Many immigrants are legal citizens; many are here with the permission of our government to seek asylum from the violence and inhumanity of drug cartels and oppressive governments.
Yet all believed the great story of America that “we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all [people] are created equal.” They believed in the constitution of America that there is freedom to worship, freedom to speak and even protest, and freedom from unjust search and seizure. They believed that America is ruled by law, not by dictatorial decree.
We now have a government ruled by bigotry and not law. ICE officers harass, threaten, track down, run down, and abduct our immigrant brothers and sisters at all hours of the day and night. Furthermore, federal agents have shot and killed two white citizens, a mother and poet, Renee Good, and an ICU nurse who served veterans, Alex Pretti.
What does this mean in this great period of history? It means that we’ve got to stay together. We’ve got to stay together and maintain unity. We’re gonna march again and we’ve gotta march again to put the issue where it is supposed to be, and force everybody to see that the agents of bigotry will not win here! No, the agents of bigotry did not win in Selma, Alabama, and they will not win in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
We don’t have to argue with anybody. We don’t have to curse and go around acting badly with our words. We don’t need any bricks and bottles. We just need to let the president, the congress, and these agents of bigotry know, “God sent us here to say to you that you’re not treating His children right. The immigrants who live among us are God’s children. We demand that you treat them with dignity! We demand that you stand down!”
I refuse to accept the cynical notion that power makes right, that violence and fear are the path to make America great again. I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love are the only path towards restoring American greatness. This is why right temporarily defeated is stronger than evil triumphant. I believe that what self-centered political leaders have torn down, other-centered ordinary citizens can build up. I still believe that nonviolent redemptive good will proclaim the rule of the land. “And the lion and the lamb shall lie down together.” I still believe that we shall overcome!
And so, I say to the agents of bigotry from political leaders to the bullies on the streets in Minneapolis: you can pull us out of our homes and cars, and we will still love you with truth and non-violence. You can throw tear gas at us and knock us to the ground, and we will still love you with truth and non-violence. You can shoot us, calling us domestic terrorists, and we will not renounce our duty to love you with truth and non-violence. And in the end, we will win a double victory, the just treatment of our immigrant neighbors and your friendship! This is the only path to making America great again.
