As the nation reflects on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Vice President Mike Pence is receiving backlash for comparing President Donald Trump's insistence on funding a wall at the southern border to Dr. King's calls for humanity and justice for people everywhere.
Watch below:
Pence compares Trump with MLK: "One of my favorite quotes from Dr King was, 'Now is the time to make real the promi… https://t.co/E9PFVGwQ9T— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1548026056.0
Pence said:
"One of my favorite quotes from Dr King was, 'Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy.' You think of how he changed America, he inspired us to change through the legislative process, to become a more perfect union. That's exactly what POTUS is calling on the Congress to do. Come to the table... we'll secure our border."
Now, Dr. King's son—Martin Luther King III—wasn't pleased with Pence's comparison. He said:
"The vice president attempted to compare the president to Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a bridge builder, not a wall builder. Martin Luther King Jr. would say, ‘Love, not hate, will make America great.'”
Many Americans agreed with MLK III.
@washingtonpost But what doesn’t work here is the definition of a more perfect union. MLK’s definition was the anti… https://t.co/qwcdNyFxri— Mel (@Mel) 1548026169.0
@washingtonpost Pence, do not proceed to attempt to link MLK and Trump, EVER!— ♐️👑Party of One 🎉♐️ (@♐️👑Party of One 🎉♐️) 1548026858.0
@washingtonpost Wow. #HalfPence has no shame. Trying to Co-opt MLK,Jr. is the most despicable thing he’s done today… https://t.co/akZZkFrrNb— DianeNamm (@DianeNamm) 1548027490.0
@washingtonpost That’s obscene. Pence doesn’t know what he’s talking about.— PGH_GAL (@PGH_GAL) 1548030504.0
@washingtonpost Probably the first time he has thought about MLK ever.— Clifton Rodney (@Clifton Rodney) 1548026832.0
@washingtonpost "Everyone has an equal right to a good life" vs. "Put a wall up to keep them out"...seems like the same thing, yeah.— Robert Sharp (@Robert Sharp) 1548033035.0
The actions of the Trump administration—like the constant vilification of NFL players kneeling during the national anthem—seem to many the antithesis of the work to which Dr. King dedicated his life.
Upon a visit to the Berlin Wall, Dr. King said the wall was depressing and represented "the divisions of mankind."
But this one seems particularly relevant today — a clip of MLK at the Berlin Wall found by our amazing #amjoy inter… https://t.co/W0n02XzKYm— Joy Reid (@Joy Reid) 1548086910.0
The Trump administration has shut down the government over funding for a similar wall at the southern border.
People are noticing the hypocrisy.
@RWPUSA @HuffPostPol I’m sure about the last thing in the world MLK would approve of is envoking his name to ration… https://t.co/9WntnK0Cou— Trevor Harding (@Trevor Harding) 1548083150.0
@RWPUSA @HuffPostPol Tune in for next weeks episode of American Sycophant, when @VP compares Melania to Rosa Parks and Don Jr. to Malcolm X!— Gordon Stettinius (@Gordon Stettinius) 1548083516.0
@RWPUSA @HuffPostPol Bizarro-MLK: 'I have a dream that some day huddled masses yearning to breathe free, who strugg… https://t.co/AUcEYXly6Q— Michael Marsh (@Michael Marsh) 1548082920.0
@RWPUSA @PatrickNTokyo @HuffPostPol The MLK quotes in this HP article make a perfect case for Speaker Pelosi calling a wall “immoral.”— Karen Olson (@Karen Olson) 1548086558.0
Nice try, Pence.