Ron Paul and MLK

-- by Dave

We Ron Paul critics sure love hearing back from his lemmings about what a "straight shooter" and all-around good guy he is, how in his heart he really isn't racist, and how he's such a unique politician because he's so full of integrity.

Well, he's full of something, all right.

So we got an up-close view of what a straight shooter, a complete non-opportunist, Ron Paul really is yesterday when issused this press release:

“It is especially fitting that we take the time to reflect on one man’s struggles to defend our Constitutional freedoms during this primary election season. January 15 was the birthday of the great freedom fighter, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and on Monday, we honor him nationwide for his sacrifice and love of liberty for all people.

“To me, the timing is more than a coincidence. The American people, regardless of color or creed, have the opportunity to choose a candidate who will uplift the ideals for which Dr. King fought—and died.

“The fight for freedom—the preservation of our civil rights—is the fight of our lives. Sadly, after Dr. King’s passing we are faced with a violation of our civil rights in the same vein as Jim Crow: The Patriot Act. I have stood against this and all unconstitutional violations of American’s civil rights, and will continue Dr. King’s charge as President.

“Dr. King would be disappointed in our current administration for more than its continued disregard for civil rights, as he stated ‘a nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.’ We need to change our interventionist foreign policy, and take care of our brothers and sisters at home. Our nation is in a crisis: we are spending billions on war overseas while those around us are suffering and losing jobs, homes, and hope. It is inexcusable; we must solve the economic crisis at home and bring hope to America.

“Dr. King’s heroic actions should resonate with us today, as we recognize that our votes strengthen the fight for our civil rights. Liberty is the true antidote to racism, and freedom-- limited, constitutional government devoted to the protection of individual rights—can uplift us all.”

Thanks to Jamie Kirchick's superb reporting at TNR, we can go back and see what Ron Paul was saying about Martin Luther King and the holiday in his name in his newsletters back in, say, February of 1990:



And then he added this:



A few months later, in December 1990, there was this:



Now, we know of course that Paul claims he didn't write these things, though we also know Paul was in fact involved in the authorship of the newsletters. The most likely author of these things, in fact, is Paul's avid supporter, Lew Rockwell.

Not that they were exactly alone in these sentiments among conservative Republicans regarding King, as Rick Perlstein reminds us.