A Southern Reader Thanks Peter Brimelow For "Rethinking" MLK DAY
10/31/2015
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Re: Peter Brimelow’s article Time To Rethink Martin Luther King Day

From: F. J. Wheeler [Email him]

Thanks to Peter Brimelow for writing about the Martin Luther King holiday. I was just thinking today how they bullied Arizona and other states into passing it in the ‘80s.

I was working on Jesse Helms’s campaign staff during part of this time. Naturally, I was curious about the secret contents of the FBI file. The subject came up with one of Senator John East's staff (not Sam Francis) when I was on a visit to Helms' Washington office. He was doing some research work for Helms. I knew East fairly well and actually worked with him on fund raising events and donors. Nobody would say anything, but the staffer indicated that a good bit of it had to do with King's extracurricular romantic life, hinting that some were underage or particularly embarrassing. King's quotes on the Vietnam War are not secret, but rarely cited anywhere. See Sam Francis’s The King Holiday and Its Meaning, for the history.

I have doubted for some time that the contents of the FBI file would ever be released because a potential devastating impact on the black community and possible rioting and violence.

I have also come to the conclusion that sexual mores have changed so much that the contents wouldn't faze anybody today.[See When Records Are Sealed—A Meditation On Martin Luther King Day ]

The subject came up when I was on the Board of the Christian School of my church. One member thought we ought to have an MLK holiday and a few more felt like they had to go along.  I strongly objected because of King’s reputation for extraordinary womanizing. This news came as a complete shock to the younger members of the board, who had known nothing but propaganda about King.  I showed them a short Sam Francis article on it the next week.

Naturally, some began to think I was a racist. Fortunately, our pastor checked with the Senior Pastor of our parent church who was well respected in the denomination, and who confirmed my objections as valid.

We resolved the situation by conforming our vacation schedule with the public schools—many parents also had kids in the public schools—but would not call it MLK day. I think we called it Patriots Day or something and made sure it was not dominated by MLK worship.

My church is one of the more conservative denominations for sure, but I was astonished how ignorant the younger elders were about MLK issues. Now I think it is even worse. Many have no idea that there is some unsavory truth in the MLK legend. However, I noted that not a word was said about MLK day at church on Sunday, January 18. It may be that the older pastors are quietly educating the younger pastors and elders on the depth of depravity that is part of the MLK iceberg, which could prove embarrassing.  But I am probably far too optimistic. I have occasionally run into ignorant gushing over MLK, but most older people know enough to avoid the subject.

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