Would Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Be Happy About "The State of White America" Today

It's a pretty nasty day today here in the city of Memphis. Today just so happens to be the 43rd anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who as you know, was felled by a bullet fired by an "alleged" lone gunman here in the Bluff City. The irony of this day is that we've been hit with nothing but severe weather; we've been hit with tornado warnings, flash flood warning, and sirens have been going off for the better part of the morning as trees fall all across the city, and at least 50,000 residents are without power. And, as if this day couldn't get any worse, comes the following via Thing Progress:

Across the country today, people are celebrating the life and mourning the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was assassinated on this date in 1968. The American Enterprise Institute, however, is marking the occasion in an unusual way: hosting a lecture by author Charles Murray on “The State of White America.”

Murray is best known for writing “The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life,” a study that sought to advance the idea that blacks registered lower scores on IQ tests because they were genetically inferior to whites. The book was roundly criticized and debunked as “bad science,” an advancement of scientific racism, and much of its research was discredited. 

Now maybe I'm reaching just a tad; maybe my racism chasing radar is off just a 'lil bit. But, I'm having a hard time passing this off as mere coincidence. On the day folks across America and the world are remembering Dr. King, this asshole Charles Murray just so happens to be holding a conference to discuss the state of white America? Am I trippin', or was this a well calculated move to appeal to lunatic racist reactionaries, or members of the "we want our country back," crowd? You know, like the racists of the Pioneer Fund?

OK, so things are a 'lil bit on the downside for privileged folks, but c'mon, I don't see white people marching with signs which read "I AM A MAN," and haven't seen it in quite some time. And no, though some on the Left have conveniently co-opted King's message in their recent pro-union/anti-corporate campaigns such as the case in Wisconsin. I must say, white folks aren't doing so bad if you ask me. But what do I know? I'm just an asshole with a blog.