Charles Koch Equates Himself With Martin Luther King,
Jr.
By
Ann
Werner
In what has to be the height of
hypocrisy—or perhaps the product of a grossly misinformed
upbringing—multi-billionaire Charles Koch implored a group of 450
wealthy conservatives to go out there and convince people that the fight for
unbridled capitalism can be likened to the civil rights movement.
Wow. Just wow.
I could say a lot of things, but
it’s important to note that Charles and his brother David were fed this from
birth. Their father, Fred Koch, was one of the founding members of the John Birch
Society. If you are unfamiliar with what that is, just think of it as the
unholy precursor to the Tea Party.
There’s an excellent book titled Wrapped in the Flag by Claire Connor on what it was like being raised by right wing fanatics. Ms. Connor managed to figure out that it was all a bunch of hooey, but the Koch boys swallowed it hook, line and sinker. Maybe because they were never taught to share and, at the heart of who they are, they are just plain greedy.
In his comments to the assembled
conservatives, Charles Koch compared the Koch political network to the work of
Frederick Douglas, Susan B. Anthony and Martin Luther King Jr.
He said, “History demonstrates that
when the American people get motivated by an issue of justice that they believe
is just, extraordinary things can be accomplished. Look at the American
Revolution, the anti-slavery movement, the women’s suffrage movement, the civil
rights movement. All of these struck a moral chord with the American people.
They all sought to overcome an injustice. And we, too, are seeking to right the
injustices that are holding our country back.”
Pretty words. Words that could well
be said by Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton. But when uttered from the mouth
of Charles Koch, those words have a different meaning.
While those he mentioned fought to
overcome inequality that kept people powerless, Charles Koch is talking about
things like regulations that keep polluters in check.
He’s talking about completely
eliminating unions and, thus, the right of workers to have a say in how they
will be compensated and treated on the job.
He’s talking about selling the
American people on the idea that corporations are people, just like you and me.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t
have a few million in my back pocket to buy me influence in Washington. Nor am
I acquainted with anyone who does.
Koch, and those like him, like to
conflate the power of what’s left of the American union movement as having the
same clout as Koch Industries, or Citibank, or Exxon.
If you are among those who believe
that nonsense to be true, just ask yourself: Do you really think that the
185,000 member National Nurses United Union that just endorsed Bernie Sanders
has anywhere near the money and influence that the Koch brothers billions can
exert on lawmakers in Washington?
Do you really believe that union
could cough up $889 million on advocacy issues like the Kochs are planning to
do in the upcoming election?
People like the Koch brothers like
to position themselves as being concerned about the plight of the poor, as
being a friend to the working class.
They, like the politicians who carry
their water, would have you believe that the trickle down, right to work,
“small government” (translate that to removing all the rules governing air and
water quality, consumer protections and workplace safety) is what’s good for
you because it’s good for them.
And what’s good for them will make
your life better. They won’t tell you how, exactly, but ask you to trust that
it will. Because FREEDOM!
Charles Koch implored the wealthy
members of his audience, who were more than likely quaffing expensive
Champagne with their brunch at the posh resort, to be “much more effective in
articulating” the mission of the organization.
“If we cannot unite the majority of
Americans behind the vision, then we’re done for. So that, to me, has to be our
number one objective. But to do so, we’ve got to do a much better job of
understanding what matters most to people and then to demonstrate that a free
society gives them the best opportunity of achieving that.”
Good luck with that. How can a man
who was born with a platinum spoon in his mouth and raised on right wing BS
have any understanding of what it’s like to worry about putting food on the
table, paying the rent, clothing and educating your children when you’re
working a minimum wage job – or two or three?
Here’s hoping they’re done for.
Ann Werner is a blogger and the author of CRAZY and Dreams
and Nightmares. You
can view her work at AnnWerner.info. Visit her on Twitter @MsWerner and Facebook Ann Werner