Are conservatives aware Martin Luther King Jr spoke out against Republicans?

Question

He was after all a member of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. He saw how the Republican Party was delibrately playing on the racist attitudes of white southern conservatives in an effort to the take the South away from Democrats. This is what he had to say about conservative Republicans Ronald Reagan and Barry Goldwater.

"The war has strengthened domestic reaction. It has given the extreme right, the anti-labor, anti-*****, and anti-humanistic forces a weapon of spurious patriotism to galvanize its supporters into reaching for power, right up to the White House. It hopes to use national frustration to take control and restore the America of social insecurity and power for the privileged. When a Hollywood performer [REAGAN], lacking distinction even as an actor can become a leading war hawk candidate for the Presidency, only the irrationalities induced by a war psychosis can explain such a melancholy turn of events."
- Martin Luther King Jr
http://www.aavw.org/special_features/speeches_speech_king03.html

"The Republican Party geared its appeal and program to racism, reaction, and extremism. All people of goodwill viewed with alarm and concern the frenzied wedding at the Cow Palace of the KKK with the radical right. The "best man" at this ceremony was a senator whose voting record, philosophy, and program were anathema to all the hard-won achievements of the past decade. "

"It was both unfortunate and disastrous that the Republican Party nominated Barry Goldwater as its candidate for President of the United States. In foreign policy Mr. Goldwater advocated a narrow nationalism, a crippling isolationism, and a trigger-happy attitude that could plunge the whole world into the dark abyss of annihilation. On social and economic issues, Mr. Goldwater represented an unrealistic conservatism that was totally out of touch with the realities of the twentieth century. The issue of poverty compelled the attention of all citizens of our country. Senator Goldwater had neither the concern nor the comprehension necessary to grapple with this problem of poverty in the fashion that the historical moment dictated. On the urgent issue of civil rights, Senator Goldwater represented a philosophy that was morally indefensible and socially suicidal."
- Martin Luther King Jr
http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/publications/autobiography/chp_23.htm

Answer 1

If you are going to base your political opinions on what the parties have done in the past, do not forget the Republicans were responsible for ending slavery. Lincoln was the first Republican president. In the years following the Civil War, the former slaves voted and held office in the southern states. It was the Democrats that enforced the laws the took away their rights to vote and hold office. The Democrats in the 60s were just righting the wrongs they had done in the first place.

Personally I would vote for a party or a candidate because I approve of what they are doing now, not what they have done in the past.

Answer 2

News flash it was your Democrats ie Robert KKK Byrd and Al Gore Sr. who fought the Rev King and all of the civil rights legislation in the '60's. It was the grandaddys of the Democrats who enslaved his people.

Answer 3

Are you aware that anything said by Martin Luther King Jr about anybody was done over 40 years ago?