17 Times People Butchered Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Legacy

Jessica Washington
·10 min read
17
Civil rights leader Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr delivers a speech at UC Berkeley’s Sproul Plaza, Berkeley, California, May 17, 1967. Approximately 7,000 people attended the event.
Civil rights leader Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr delivers a speech at UC Berkeley’s Sproul Plaza, Berkeley, California, May 17, 1967. Approximately 7,000 people attended the event.
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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is coming up on Monday, Jan. 15 — which means we are going to hear a lot of people invoking Dr. King who have no business with his name in their mouth. Seriously, no one loves trotting out MLK Jr. quotes to buttress a point more than the people who would have absolutely hated his guts if he were alive today. And while there are a ton of absolutely bonkers takes on a man who—need we remind people, was a radical civil rights icon—here are the 17 most egregious times his legacy was butchered in recent years.

Vivek Ramaswamy Saying He’s Fighting For MLK’s Dream

Vivek Ramaswamy, chairman and co-founder of Strive Asset Management and 2024 Republican presidential candidate, speaks during a campaign event in Des Moines, Iowa, US, on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024. Ramaswamy sits at 5.9% in an average of Iowa polls, more than 10 points behind fellow 2024 Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, and in fourth place.

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy — who mind you believes white supremacy is fake, believes carrying on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s mission. Ramaswamy said that he was furthering the civil rights icon’s legacy by fighting against people who make their race and gender central to their identity and politics — a thing the civil rights icon who fought to end the oppression of Black Americans obviously would have hated.

Amy Schumer Implying MLK Would Support Bombing Palestinians

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 18: Amy Schumer attends the 2023 Good+Foundation “A Very Good+ Night of Comedy” Benefit at Carnegie Hall on October 18, 2023 in New York City.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 18: Amy Schumer attends the 2023 Good+Foundation “A Very Good+ Night of Comedy” Benefit at Carnegie Hall on October 18, 2023 in New York City.

Amy Schumer implied that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would have supported the bombing of Palestinians in Gaza. Dr. Bernice King quickly gathered the comedian — reminding her of his ardent support for withdrawing from the Vietnam War.

Trump Saying Mark Robinson Was Better Than MLK

SELMA, NC - APRIL 09: Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson joins the stage with former U.S. President Donald Trump during a rally at The Farm at 95 on April 9, 2022 in Selma, North Carolina. The rally comes about five weeks before North Carolinas primary elections where Trump has thrown his support behind candidates in some key Republican races.
SELMA, NC - APRIL 09: Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson joins the stage with former U.S. President Donald Trump during a rally at The Farm at 95 on April 9, 2022 in Selma, North Carolina. The rally comes about five weeks before North Carolinas primary elections where Trump has thrown his support behind candidates in some key Republican races.

This one was bizare. During a rally, former President Donald Trump said that North Carolina Lt. Governor Mark Robinson, who called the Civil Rights Movement a communist plot, was better than Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Ron DeSantis Claiming He Would Love Book Bans

BETTENDORF, IOWA - DECEMBER 18: Republican presidential candidate Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks to guests during the Scott County Fireside Chat at the Tanglewood Hills Pavilion on December 18, 2023 in Bettendorf, Iowa. Iowa Republicans will be the first to select their party’s nomination for the 2024 presidential race when they go to caucus on January 15, 2024.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis boldly claimed that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would have endorsed banning books about racism. Because if there’s one thing MLK absolutely hated, it was talking about race.

Nikki The Civil War Was About Liberty Haley Invokes MLK

Nikki Haley, former ambassador to the United Nations and 2024 Republican presidential candidate, during a town hall event at the Saddle Up Saloon in Kingston, New Hampshire, US, on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024. Haley’s campaign said that she raised $24 million in the final three months of 2023 riding a wave of momentum in her bid for the Republican presidential nomination.

While this wasn’t the most egregious example of someone invoking Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on this list — in light of her recent comments we have to mention it. Haley has repeatedly said that she was inspired by the civil rights icon who fought for Black liberation. So, it’s a little bizare that she would simultaneously be such an ardent defender of the South in the civil war aka the side that fought to keep Black people enslaved.

Sen. Ted Cruz Used MLK To Slam NAACP

WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 30: Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks during the Senate Judiciary Committee markup hearing on Thursday, November 30, 2023. (
WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 30: Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks during the Senate Judiciary Committee markup hearing on Thursday, November 30, 2023. (

Dr. Bernice King already dragged the Texas Republican Senator for this, but it’s still worth a revisit. In May, Senator Ted Cruz said that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would have been “ashamed” of the NAACP for issuing a travel advisory for Florida. His daughter quickly responded calling his “dishonest” and saying MLK would have been “deeply concerned” about discrimination in Florida.

Mike Pence Invokes MLK Over Affirmative Action Decision

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 28: Republican presidential candidate former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence arrives at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s Annual Leadership Summit at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas on October 28, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pence announced that he was suspending his campaign for president at the event. The summit features the top GOP presidential candidates who will face their first test on the road to the Republican nomination with the Iowa Caucuses on January 15, 2024.

After the Supreme Court gutted affirmative action in higher education, Pence said that this was upholding Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision. He also managed to simultaneously butcher the quote. But that honestly feels like the lesser of the offenses, considering Dr. King ardently supported affirmative action.

Mike Pence Invoked MLK Over Border Wall

MEET THE PRESS — Pictured: Former Vice President Mike Pence appears on “Meet the Press” in Washington D.C., Sunday Oct. 22, 2023. — (
MEET THE PRESS — Pictured: Former Vice President Mike Pence appears on “Meet the Press” in Washington D.C., Sunday Oct. 22, 2023. — (

In 2019, former Vice President Mike Pence quoted Dr.Martin Luther King jr. while defending a border wall between Mexico and the United States.

Mike Huckabee Saying MLK Would Hate BLM

EW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 17: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) FOX News Contributor Gov. Mike Huckabee visits “The Story with Martha MacCallum” in the Fox News Channel Studios on September 17, 2019 in New York City.
EW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 17: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) FOX News Contributor Gov. Mike Huckabee visits “The Story with Martha MacCallum” in the Fox News Channel Studios on September 17, 2019 in New York City.

This went down in 2015, but it’s still a head scratcher. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee boldly stated that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would have been “appalled” by the Black Lives Matter movement because they’re talking specifically about Black lives and not “All Lives.” As we all know, MLK absolutely hated when people brought up the specific injustices facing Black Americans and anyone protesting those injustices.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders On MLK And Affirmative Action

Sarah Huckabee Sanders, governor of Arkansas, speaks while unveiling the Arkansas LEARNS education bill at the Arkansas State Capitol in Little Rock, Arkansas, US, on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023. Sanders said Americans are “under attack in a left-wing culture war” in the Republican response to the State of the Union on Tuesday, drawing on themes pushed by Donald Trump in his third run for the White House.

The apple does not fall far from the tree in this scenario. In a social media post, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders implied that Dr. Martin Luther King jr. would have celebrated the Supreme Court’s decision to gut affirmative action. Again, can’t believe we have to say this, but Dr. King pushed for affirmative action policies.

Bernice King Called Out Mitch McConnell

WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 18: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (L) (R-KY) walks to the senate chamber inside the U.S. Capitol to deliver remarks on December 18, 2023 in Washington, DC. Bipartisan negotiations to reach an agreement on a new border policy continue.
WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 18: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (L) (R-KY) walks to the senate chamber inside the U.S. Capitol to deliver remarks on December 18, 2023 in Washington, DC. Bipartisan negotiations to reach an agreement on a new border policy continue.

We can always count on Dr. Bernice King to call out people mis-appropriating her father’s legacy. During a victory speech, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said he was inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King jr. Dr. Bernice King quickly clapped back saying that her father’s legacy was about “eradicating racism, militarism, and poverty,” not “denying healthcare to human beings or by separating Brown immigrant children from their parents.”

Pence Says MLK Wouldn’t Want Him To Say Black Lives Matter

NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE - OCTOBER 14: Republican presidential candidate former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence speaks during the 2023 First in the Nation Leadership Summit on October 14, 2023 in Nashua, New Hampshire.
NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE - OCTOBER 14: Republican presidential candidate former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence speaks during the 2023 First in the Nation Leadership Summit on October 14, 2023 in Nashua, New Hampshire.

Former Vice President Mike Pence really loves to bring Dr. Martin Luther King jr. into things. During an interview on CBS, Pence said that he wouldn’t say Black lives matter because of the example set by MLK — who in this universe hated anyone calling out the unique and specific form of oppression impacting Black Americans. MLK also famously hated protests against police brutality, which is why he was beloved by law enforcement.

Glenn Beck Used MLK To Defend Paula Deen Racial Slur

Glenn Beck, conservative political commentator and radio host, speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Dallas, Texas, U.S., on Saturday, July 10, 2021. The three-day conference is titled “America UnCanceled.”
Glenn Beck, conservative political commentator and radio host, speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Dallas, Texas, U.S., on Saturday, July 10, 2021. The three-day conference is titled “America UnCanceled.”

This actually happened. In 2013, Glenn Beck defended Paula Deen using the N-word by comparing her to Dr. Martin Luther King jr. “Where would the world be if Columbus and Magellan and other world explorers believed conventional wisdom and believed the world was flat… Where would we be if Martin Luther King didn’t speak and challenge segregation? Where would we be if everyone in the world thought in the box?” said Beck, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Joe Rogan Insisting MLK Would Not Want Children Learning About Racism

JOE ROGAN QUESTIONS EVERYTHING — “Podcast” — Pictured: Joe Rogan
JOE ROGAN QUESTIONS EVERYTHING — “Podcast” — Pictured: Joe Rogan

Popular podcaster Joe Rogan went on a rant about schools in California teaching children about racism and anti-racism. Rogan contended that this was against Dr. Martin Luther King’s wishes. Dr. King notably included young children in his protests, and not only called out racism, but insisted that white people had a moral responsability to also call it out.

Rep. Steve Scalise

Representative Steve Scalise, a Republican from Louisiana, speaks during the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) Annual Leadership Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada, US, on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. After lying dormant as an issue for the past couple of elections, the soaring US budget deficit is starting to matter again in Washington with Republicans pointing to post-Covid stimulus and other spending that has pushed the deficit past $2 trillion for the fiscal year ending in September.

This is less about butchering Dr. Martin Luther King jr.’s legacy and more about trying to fan girl after the fact. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise voted against making Martin Luther King Day a Federal holiday twice, but has since repeatedly invoked him as a national hero.

Ken Starr Defends Trump By Invoking MLK

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 3: Ken Starr, personal lawyer to U.S. President Donald Trump arrives at the U.S. Capitol on February 3, 2020 in Washington, DC. Closing arguments begin Monday after the Senate voted to block witnesses from appearing in the impeachment trial. The final vote is expected on Wednesday.
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 3: Ken Starr, personal lawyer to U.S. President Donald Trump arrives at the U.S. Capitol on February 3, 2020 in Washington, DC. Closing arguments begin Monday after the Senate voted to block witnesses from appearing in the impeachment trial. The final vote is expected on Wednesday.

Former President Donald Trump’s then-attorney, Ken Starr, had an interesting defense of his boss at the time. Starr said that Trump’s impeachment trial violated Dr. Martin Luther King jr.’s calls for justice.

Kellyanne Conway Says MLK Wouldn’t Want Trump Impeached

Kellyanne Conway, former senior adviser to former US President Donald Trump, speaks during the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) Annual Leadership Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada, US, on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022.
Kellyanne Conway, former senior adviser to former US President Donald Trump, speaks during the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) Annual Leadership Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada, US, on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022.

Once again, conservatives implied that Dr. Martin Luther King jr. would be outraged at the impeachment of Donald Trump — a man who said that non-white people were “poisoning the blood” of America. MLK’s son pushed back on the statements.