Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Votes In the 2024 Presidential Election: A Future Forward Political Story
Dr. King touched down in Atlanta after a brief trip to Chicago marching and spearheading a movement for increasing voter’s rights in the Midwest. Chicago embraced him, motivated him, encouraged him to continue his work. They were nostalgic in their thoughts about Dr. King’s 1968 Poor People’s Campaign. Nothing could stop the shining prince who was convinced and intense about the direction the country was heading in — he knew democracy was meeting its death soon and wanted to change its trajectory.
After relaxing at home for several days, he looked at his cell phone to see the date November 2nd, 2024. Two days before the 2024 Presidential election across the country. Two days before, Dr. King watched a debate between the top two presidential candidates for the Democrats and the Republicans. He watched in disbelief as the debate went all over the place, never focusing on the wars and lack of peace across the United States and the world. “When are they ever going to get that it is war, the lack of peace, that will end this world we are living in?” he asked.
“Here’s a cup of tea dear”, Coretta said to him as she handed a mug of green tea to him to help him relax. “Martin you are going to worry yourself about this presidential election too much. Please try and calm down and focus on your upcoming speaking gigs in Baltimore and in Philadelphia.” Dr. King took a sip of his tea. “I know dear, it is getting to me. These politicians are overlooking all of the poverty, the lack of education in inner city schools, and the need for us to reverse the heat of the planet.” Dr. King put down his tea and began to pace in their living room.
“Coretta, this Trump character has the nerve to be sitting on national television with every excuse about why he should be president again. How he was he able to make this happen is beyond my belief!”
Coretta’s eyes opened widely as she listened to Dr. King. “Well, you know this country has been serving and slaving for white men like Donald Trump for a long time honey. White men have rigged everything in this system so they can either get away with everything, or find sympathizers who support their most dreadful or darkest moves in order to gain power, or stay in power.” Dr. King looked over at his wife. “You’re right about that dear!”
Coretta stood up and walked towards him to give him a hug and to console him. Dr. King was biting his nails and inflamed about the Supreme Court’s decision to let Donald Trump run for a second presidency. The right wing leaning judges of the Supreme Court decided with Trump regarding him “not being an officer” during the insurrection he had everything to do with.
The house phone rang at 9 AM EST. It was a local news reporter who wanted Dr. King’s opinion about the upcoming election, as well as his thoughts about Biden and Trump. Wiping the sleep from his eyes, Dr. King pondered the reporter’s questions. “Well young man, I am distraught by Donald Trump. He is the opposite of everything I have been fighting for. Donald Trump is a threat to the children, the environment, and to women all across the country with his temper tantrums and antics. For him to have gotten this far means that ethics, principality, and morality have disappeared in the United States of America.”
The reporter, jotting down Dr. King’s words, found Dr. King to be very engaging.
“Young man” King said again, about Biden. I do like the fact that he’s trying to bring this country together. I watched him the other day speak from the Black Lives Matter lane in DC with conviction. Saying that “Americans have a big decision to make in these coming days.” He was right when he said that. I watched former president Barack Obama, who was standing on his side, smile and clap when he said that.”
“Thank you for taking this interview with me Dr. King”, the reporter said. “Do you have anything else to say? How about a comment about you being approached to run for president in your heyday?”
Dr. King cleared his throat. “Well, hmm, I did not see that one coming.” Dr. King took a deep breath. “Those were definitely different times but those times are a lot like these times we are in. A lot of what we were experiencing and fighting back then still exists today. I am angry that we have not made it far at all. Malcolm, my brother Malcolm X, would be just as angry as I am. However, I see not enough conviction and enough attention being paid to the poor in this country. Black people, my people are still treated like second class citizens, women are still being mistreated, and the school systems still allow mis-education in classrooms. We need a presidency that is going to drastically turn all of that around. If not, then why continue to have men like them in the biggest job in this country?”
“What I also want to address is the wars in the Middle East. Since I won the Pulitzer Prize for my work on peace, this new war between Hamas and Israel, with a lot of innocent people in between, is the death of the Middle East if it is not stopped or handled in the right way. I completely oppose the war, and want everyone to consider the history of Palestine and Israel. All of these pundits are running their mouths on television, but they forget the real story about Palestine’s role in the development and existence in that part of the world. I cry for the people in Palestine at night before I am heading to bed. Palestinians share the same kind of pain, hurt, and tragedy as my people here in this country. Netanyahu is a dangerous man. Some international political leaders and the like have said this for years, but because of fear of being anti-Semitic, they have not said this on camera or in speeches. Benjamin Netanyahu — backed by big US dollars — will single handedly cause a crisis in the Middle East that will create War World III. Do we really need that?”
“Okay, wow Dr. King, you’ve shared something very powerful here. I will be sure to share this piece in my finished interview and edits of this story about you.”
“Thank you, thank you so kindly” Dr. King said.
The reporter thanked King again. They both said goodbye and hung up the phone.
As Dr. King ate his breakfast Coretta had made for him, a commercial for a Trump 2024 presidency aired. Dr. King shook his head and turned away. He could not watch anymore. “A man like Donald Trump in these times goes against everything Medgar, Malcolm, and myself fought for. My ancestors, such as Fannie Lou Hamer, Ida B. Wells, and Sojourner Truth would be in amazement to see a man like Donald Trump running for President of the United States. We never tend to learn from the Great Mistakes Of The United States.”
“I agree Martin, Coretta said from the other side of the kitchen table. “Dear, I am not sure what it is with (white) women these day, but I would never vote for a man who has spoken so terribly about women no matter where he has been or who he has been with.”
“Let’s turn the television off dear” Martin said.
Two days later Coretta and Martin were at their local poling place. People cheered and clapped loudly as they turned in their votes.
Someone from the crowd shouted, “Dr. King, Mr. King, can you say a few words to give us some hope for our democracy please sir?” Dr. King turned around and looked at the eager eyes in the crowd. Coretta shoved him a little to get him to speak to the people who praised and loved him.
“My people, we are in the darkest times we have ever been. Democracy is falling, the planet is continuing to get hotter, children are disobeying their parents and shooting their classmates at school, grocery prices are sky high, and peace has not yet found the Middle East. We must make important political decisions with conviction and courage. We must encourage our fellow women and men to vote with their hearts. Let God be our guide as we seek for this nation to once again rise.”
Everyone clapped as Coretta and Dr. King exited the polling place. Dr. King had once again shown brightness, boldness, and determination in the wake of a very important presidential election that has all kinds of implications.
