King would have fought coal plants

Thanks to Joseph E. Lowery of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, we are reminded today, on this day celebrating the life and mission of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., that he would have fought against ALL injustices toward minorities, including the construction of coal-fired power plants in the poor minority communities across the south.

Lowery writes: “We are all grimly aware that inequality and discrimination remain potent in all walks of life, from job pay to matters of common decency. But too many are unaware of the injustice placed on low-income communities and people of color in rural areas.”

Here are other excerpts from Lowery’s full article:

“‘When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, militarism and economic exploitation are incapable of being conquered,’ King preached in a 1967 sermon in Atlanta.”

“Georgia doesn’t need to be the last irresponsible place on earth choosing coal. As Genesis reminds us, we must all rise to the challenge of thoughtful stewardship of what has been entrusted to us, to care for ‘the fish of the sea … the birds of the air … the cattle, and all creatures upon earth.'”

About Jamie Goodman

Jamie is an Appalachian local with a deep and unshakeable love of the mountains her family has called home since the mid-1700s. With a background in journalism and communications, she has been with Appalachian Voices since 2008 and currently serves as our Director of Digital Innovation and Technology.