Unlike the many people who are upset about Donald Trump being sworn in on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I think it's a good thing. First, it draws even more attention to the day and its meaning. Second, it's an opportunity to speculate about what King would say and do if he were still alive in the Trump era.
Counterfactual “what if” stories are a trend in the literary world. Trump's inauguration this holiday may cause us to think about what America and the world would have looked like if King had been alive and well. And vice versa: How did America and the world develop without him?
King was the kind of leader you only come across once in a lifetime, one with unmatched eloquence and passion. His oratorical talent could inspire people of all kinds, including workers, presidents and other heads of state. He had a visionary insight into the complex racial, social and economic grievances and their solutions and consequences.
He worked tirelessly to build and serve as a driving force for a grassroots movement for civil rights and social justice. And his charismatic presence influenced people to address the issues and problems he worked to solve.
How might this play out in the Trump era? At first, King abhorred all violence. The mass killings with firearms that are now commonplace in American cities would most likely have deeply affected him. He would almost certainly have clashed with the National Rifle Assn. and his ardent supporter Trump as he lobbied Congress to pass comprehensive gun control legislation.
When it comes to international politics, King would certainly have condemned Russia's war in Ukraine. One can also imagine him speaking out against Hamas' abduction and murder of Israelis, as well as Israel's murder of Palestinian civilians. He would have described these wars as ineffective, repressive and wasteful, a waste of resources that should be channeled into programs to support the poor and minorities. On this point, he and Trump, who repeatedly claims he has kept America out of wasteful wars, would probably agree somewhat.
It is impossible to imagine King not fighting with all his might against the flood of voter suppression laws and the Republican Party's ploys to weaken black and minority voting power, including the attack on the Voting Rights Act. That would be where he would collide with Trump. But Trump would also make a comeback: He would lead the sharp surge in black and Hispanic votes for him in the recent presidential election.
King would almost certainly try to stymie the country's Republican-led sprint to the right, drawing negative attention from Trump and his MAGA coalition. But even he would not have been able to stop the many powerful forces that had a vested interest in stopping or reversing the country's momentum toward expanded civil rights, labor protections, and economic justice.
The resurgence of overtly racist sentiments, actions and conflicts under Trump would obviously worry King, who famously hoped for a day when Americans would be judged “not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”
King should have found new ways to combat the persistent evils of poverty and wealth inequality that continued to grow in the decades after his death. Even given his excellent organizational and planning skills, this growth would likely have been a losing battle.
Had he lived, King's unwavering commitment to the cause of human rights and economic equality would certainly not have diminished. Wherever there was a campaign, march, rally, lobbying effort or event that could be promoted by his presence, he could be expected to have much to say and do. There would be a lot to do in the Trump era.
Earl Ofari Hutchinson's latest book is Day 1 The Trump Reign. His comments can be found at thehutchinsonreport.net.