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A white author and lecturer caught the wrath of Black Twitter users Wednesday night when she boldly compared Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders to iconic civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
In a now-deleted tweet, Marianne Williamson said Sanders “is telling truth to power in a way that has not been seen in our country since Martin Luther King Jr.” Her statement launched a firestorm of tweets from Black people, who pointed out how she completely ignored other Black leaders who have honestly spoken up about the ills of America.
Williamson has been defending her remarks since the morning of May 18. She does not believe her tweet was questionable, asking one user “how was that wrong?”
@marwilliamson @MrDane1982 1) they have. Just because they didn't look like bernie doesn't mean it didn't happen
— T. Fisher King (@T_FisherKing) May 18, 2016
The user goes on to explain to Williamson about why she should not have made the poor comparison.
@marwilliamson @MrDane1982 2) I know you didn't mean but you CANNOT compare a man who's greatest achievement is yelling to one that
— T. Fisher King (@T_FisherKing) May 18, 2016
@marwilliamson @MrDane1982 went through what MLK did. You might as well compare him to Nelson mandela. I get it he's saying good things
— T. Fisher King (@T_FisherKing) May 18, 2016
The author backed away from racial comparisons, insisting the initial tweet had nothing to do with race.
@AstoriaTom Both called an unjust system on its fundamental corruption. I made no comparison beyond that.
— Marianne Williamson (@marwilliamson) May 18, 2016
@alwaystheself I didn't feel I was taking about race at all. I was just admiring Bernie for calling the system on its fundamental injustice.
— Marianne Williamson (@marwilliamson) May 18, 2016
By 3 a.m., Williamson pulled the colorblind card, stating that King was not just “a great Black leader” but a great American and world leader.
@dorismariahphd @AngryBlackLady He wasn't only a great black leader. He was a great American leader. He was a great world leader.
— Marianne Williamson (@marwilliamson) May 18, 2016
Others did not respond to Williamson directly, but they were just as fired up over her whitewashed view of leadership.
Nessa pointed out the late reverend’s unfavorable view of white progressives.
MLK had a disdain for white progressives & their performance of "radicalism" https://t.co/YbUaL6oSxN
— Nessa. (@curlyheadRED) May 18, 2016
Two users called out the ridiculousness of comparing Sanders to MLK when white people do not understand the history of injustice Blacks have faced in the U.S.
White people kill me when they skip a whole generation of freedom fighters to claim a wealthy powerful White person has taken MLK's mantle
— Read Army Faction (@Hurrikane_IKE) May 18, 2016
Worse, people seem to know little about Actual MLK beyond the bumper stickers, yet feel free to staple him onto their politics.
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) May 18, 2016
Williamson is not the first celebrity to make the outlandish comparison. In November 2015, Rapper Killer Mike introduced the Vermont senator at an Atlanta rally. He endorsed Sanders and gave a speech comparing him to King. Mike told the crowd Sanders was “the Martin King post the Washington March, the Martin King present the war on poverty.”
In January, the rapper sat down with the presidential hopeful for an interview live-streamed on Sanders’ website. His comparison was even clearer then, as Mike proclaimed King “was killed for many of the same reasons this man is campaigning for.”
