Neither can anyone hold a candle to George Washington, Thomas Jefferson (slave diddler that he was), Abraham Lincoln, or even Alexander Hamilton. Great men were all great despite their flaws, because their accomplishments outweigh them greatly. MLK was no different.
When somebody celebrates MLK Day, he can’t refuse to sit in the back of a bus, which now would mean nothing, or go around shaking black people’s hands, which would be just plain stupid, and he sure can’t womanize or plagiarize.
On Washington’s birthday, we used to eat cherry pie, even though the story of him with the cherry tree is pure fiction. But it was an easy observance. Lots easier than going to Mauritania and buying a slave, or on Jefferson’s birthday diddling one.
He can attend one of these celebrations, or privately say, “gosh, I’m sure glad he came along and changed the world for the better”. At this point, what difference does it make. But it is good that he came along, just as it’s good that Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Churchill came along. They enriched the world immeasurably, which is the measure of a “great man”.
Unproven that Thomas Jefferson diddled his slaves. The best DNA can do is say it’s through a male Jefferson line. Thomas Jefferson’s brother Peter was a known ‘diddler’ of slaves so far more likely it was him. This assertion regard TJ became popular when the Arkansas Diddler was in office as a way of excusing his behavior.
Well-said. Thank you.