Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Alveda King speaks about her accusation against Bayard Rustin . . . or does she?

Alveda King
Today, I conducted a very short, very interesting (to say the least) interview with Alveda King, Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr's niece.

The interview stemmed from recent accusations she made about her uncle's gay aide and the architect of the 1963 March on Washington, Bayard Rustin. Ms. King charged in a statement :

"The 21st century homosexual lobby likes to point to the professional relationship between my uncle Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Bayard Rustin, his openly homosexual staffer who left the movement at the height of the campaign. Rustin attempted to convince Uncle M. L. that homosexual rights were equal with civil rights. Uncle M. L. did not agree, and would not attach the homosexual agenda to the 20th century civil rights struggles. So Mr. Rustin resigned.

Bayard Rustin
That's simply not true. According to several sources, including the book Lost Prophet: The Life and Times of Bayard Rustin, Rustin resigned because several other black leaders were jealous of King's influence and were going to spread the story that he and King were lovers.

Earlier today, I spoke to Eugene Vigil, Ms. King's assistant. He told me that he forwarded comments I made on her blog to her and that she may be calling me. I seriously doubted that she would. You see, the comments I left on her page had been removed (but have since been restored.) You can imagine my surprise when she called me a few hours later.

Her tone was cordial but cautionary. I imagine she didn't exactly appreciate me branding her statements as lies.

In spite of this, the interview went fine at first. She said that she would be emailing me a column from a lesbian which would prove her accusation.

She also said that I had to understand that she, being a 61-year-old woman, had lived through the Civil Rights Movement and that made her privy to certain conversations of those involved.  I asked her what specifically did she allegedly hear regarding Rustin attempting to get MLK to connect the civil rights movement with gay equality.

She refused to go into detail, explaining to me she would not debate the words of the deceased because she felt it was disrespectful. That was when I pointed out to her that she had already begun the debate by making accusations against Rustin.

And that's when the interview went downhill fast.

We spent several minutes practically talking over each other. She kept saying that she would send me a column by a lesbian which would supposedly prove her point. I, however, told her that she would have to give me more information than that and if she was privy to certain conversations, why couldn't she give me the details of said conversations.

I also have to admit that I was put off by Ms. King's constant mentioning of the column "by a lesbian." She would not say this woman's name until I asked her. She finally told me that the lesbian in question was Irene Monroe, an ordained minister, religion columnist, public theologian,  motivational speaker and a person who I have extreme admiration for.

Needless to say that I was interested in reading if Ms. Monroe's words validated Alveda's assertions. However, I continued to press Ms. King to give me facts as to the personal conversations she allegedly heard.

That was when she hung up on me.

Now, the information Ms. King sent me from Monroe was a piece entitled What Did Martin Luther King Do When Confronted With Homosexuality?

And the portion Ms. King was talking about which supposedly validated her claim about Rustin was this:

SADLY, BAYARD RUSTIN, the gay man who was chief organizer and strategist for the 1963 March on Washington that further catapulted Martin Luther King onto the world stage, was not the beneficiary of King’s dream.

In a spring 1987 interview with “Open Hands,” a resource for ministries affirming the diversity of human sexuality, Rustin stated that he pushed King to speak up on his behalf, but King did not. In John D’Emilo’s book “Lost Prophet: The Life and Times of Bayard Rustin,” D’Emilo wrote: “Rustin offered to resign in the hope that he would force the issue. Much to his chagrin, King did not reject the offer. At the time, King was also involved in a major challenge to the conservative leadership of the National Baptist Convention, and one of his ministerial lieutenants in the fight was also gay. Basically, King said, ‘I can’t take on two queers at one time.’”

The piece in question by Ms. Monroe was actually titled Monroe View: The King family's mixed legacy.

 It was written in 2007 and it does include the above passage.

But nowhere in that passage does Monroe indicate that Rustin tried to convince King to connect gay and civil rights. But unfortunately, however, Monroe did not into detail as to what exactly did Rustin want King to speak on his behalf about.

She corrected that error in a March 22, 2012 piece entitled Bayard Rustin: One of the Tallest Trees in Our Forest. Here is what she said at that time:

African-American ministers involved in the civil rights movement would have nothing to do with Rustin, and they intentionally spread rumors throughout the movement that King was gay because of his close friendship with Rustin.

In a spring 1987 interview with Rustin in Open Hands, a resource for ministries affirming the diversity of human sexuality, Rustin recalls that difficult period quite vividly:
Martin Luther King, with whom I worked very closely, became very distressed when a number of the ministers working for him wanted him to dismiss me from his staff because of my homosexuality. Martin set up a committee to discover what he should do. They said that, despite the fact that I had contributed tremendously to the organization ... they thought I should separate myself from Dr. King. This was the time when [Rev. Adam Clayton] Powell threatened to expose my so-called homosexual relationship with Dr. King.
When Rustin pushed King to speak up on his behalf, King did not. In John D'Emilio's book Lost Prophet: The Life and Times of Bayard Rustin, he writes the following on the matter:
Rustin offered to resign in the hope that his would force the issue. Much to his chagrin, King did not reject the offer. At the time, King was also involved in a major challenge to the conservative leadership of the National Baptist Convention, and one of his ministerial lieutenants in the fight was also gay.

"Basically King said I can't take on two queers at on time," one of Rustin's associated recollected later.

And there you have it.

Alveda King bases her false accusation about Rustin attempting to manipulate MLK on a passage of a column taken out of context and comments she claims to have heard but won't go into detail about.

Draw your own conclusions as to Ms. King's credibility, folks.

As for me, I said I was determined to receive an answer one way or another. And I've got my answer.

I almost wish I could say that it wasn't what I suspected before I interviewed her. But it's not.

Whatever the case may be, I've done my duty. A great man was wronged and I hope that I did what was necessary to rectify that wrong.




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'Negative breakthrough in Alveda King/Bayard Rustin controversy' and other Tuesday midday news briefs

First, an update about the Alveda King/Bayard Rustin controversy. There has been a small breakthrough. I spoke to Eugene Vigil, Ms. King's assistant. He told me that he forwarded my comments to her and she may be calling me. I seriously doubt that she will. You see, the comments I left on her page HAVE BEEN REMOVED. At any rate, I am determined to get an answer one way or the other concerning her untrue accusation that Rustin attempted to manipulate Martin Luther King, Jr into connecting gay rights with the African-American civil rights movement.

 In other news:

 Otis Moss, III Challenges Fellow Black Clergy On Marriage Equality For Gays And Lesbians - Kudos to Minister Moss!

 Louis Farrakhan Critiques Obama's Gay Marriage Endorsement - Well look who just jumped in out of the woodwork. With all due respect, I made it a point not to attend Farrakhan's call for a Million Man March and I'm not about to pay any attention to his words about a black man who is truly trying to change the nation for the better. The funny part is let's see how the right will embrace Farrakhan's words after years of branding him as a troublemaker.

Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner: Tony Perkins - Tony Perkins has agreed to come to dinner at the home of a same-sex family when he and his wife "receive the invitation to find a time that works.” Draw your own conclusions there.

Video: Richard Cohen strengthens marriage movement's unbreakable 'ex-gay' ties - Speaking of Alveda King, check out who she has been hanging around with in Spain.

Barber: NAACP's Support for Marriage Equality is Offensive and Demeaning - Matt Barber just said that gays have never been victims of lynchings. That's right. Being beaten to death, set on fire, castrated, or generally having the hell kicked out of us doesn't technically count as a lynching (eyerolling) 


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Alveda King needs to put up or shut up about her Bayard Rustin accusation

Alveda King
Last Wednesday, Alveda King, the niece of Martin Luther King, Jr. put out a statement to address the push back she received from criticizing the NAACP. The NAACP passed a resolution supporting marriage equality and King did not agree with it because she has made a "name" for herself by speaking against marriage equality and gay rights in general.

Among other things she said in the statement was the following:

"The 21st century homosexual lobby likes to point to the professional relationship between my uncle Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Bayard Rustin, his openly homosexual staffer who left the movement at the height of the campaign. Rustin attempted to convince Uncle M. L. that homosexual rights were equal with civil rights. Uncle M. L. did not agree, and would not attach the homosexual agenda to the 20th century civil rights struggles. So Mr. Rustin resigned. 

I have to tell you that when I first read that statement, I was, in street terms, pissed off to the highest levels of pissivity.

Bayard Rustin (right) with Martin Luther King, Jr.
I literally went into orbit because I knew her statement wasn't accurate. According to several sources, most specifically the book Lost Prophet: The Life and Times of Bayard Rustin by John D'Emilio, Bayard Rustin resigned because prominent black leaders, specifically the late Congressman Adam Clayton Powell, had gotten jealous of King's influence and were going to accuse him and the openly gay Rustin of being lovers.

It was some of these same leaders who did not want Rustin to have anything to do with the 1963 March on Washington, but labor leader A. Philip Randolph insisted that Rustin be involved. And Rustin proceeded to coordinate probably the most successful march in the nation's history.

Furthermore Rustin began speaking about gay issues in the 1980s at the behest of his partner, Walter Naegle. This was over two decades after MLK's death.

Consequently, I wrote a post not only correcting King's assertions but also challenging her designation as a black leader because, being honest about Ms. King's "credentials," if she were not the niece of MLK, no one would care what she had to say.  She was a child during the civil rights movement so it's safe to say that she was not included in King's inner circle and nor was privy to his beliefs or thoughts.

I felt a little satisfied with what I wrote but gradually, it became not enough for me. I got many kudos and literal pats on the backs but that wasn't satisfying because Alveda King's unchallenged inaccurate assertion of Rustin was still out there.

Bayard Rustin is one of my idols and a very important figure in the fight for equality. He was an integral part of the civil rights movement. He not only coordinated the 1963 March on Washington, but he also influence Dr. King when it came to nonviolent protest. However, he remained in the background because he was also openly gay. Even though I know he never sought the spotlight, Rustin should have gotten some appreciation for his work and some knowledge by the general population of what he had done while he was alive.

Slowly but surely, he is now getting what he deserves in terms of name recognition.

But then Ms. Alveda King proceeds to spread false stories about Rustin in order to exploit the supposed difference of opinion between the gay and African-American community on the subject of gay equality. Her statement is damaging because some people are still not aware of Bayard Rustin's contributions and they could actually believe that tripe she spread. Subsequently they see won't Rustin as a tireless fighter for equality - which he was - but someone who was attempting to manipulate MLK for his own purposes.

It more than bothers me. It unnerves me that Bayard Rustin, this great man who never really got his due, could be further denied because the knowledge of his work and existence interferes with the plans of a wannabe activist exploiting the name of her famous uncle.

And it also bothered me that other than myself, very few people - and even fewer organizations such as GLAAD, HRC, or even the NAACP - called out Ms. King for her inaccurate statement.

So I have taken further action

The following is what I wrote on Alveda King's blog:

a.mcewen says: Your comment is awaiting moderation.
May 28, 2012 at 7:10 PM
 You told a blatant lie. Rustin never tried to convince King of anything. Rustin resigned because several black leaders were jealous of King’s influence and one of them – the late Congressman Adam Clayton Powell – was going to accuse King and Rustin of being lovers. Rustin didn’t really start talking about gay issues until the 1980s at the behest of his partner Walter Naegle. I am interested as to where you received your information. You cannot speak the truth in love if the words you speak are inaccurate.
 I have included my email address – charlekenghis@aol.com and I would like to know where you received your information regarding your claims of Rustin.

a.mcewen says:
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
BTW, I received my information from several sources including the book Lost Prophet: The Life and Times of Bayard Rustin by John D’Emilio.
And again, I ask that you supply the proof of your charges. I have supplied my email address and will be expecting some type of answer from you. Thank you.

The POINT is will Ms. King give me a satisfactory answer or even post my comments?

I will be monitoring her blog. If she gives an answer, I will be very interested as to what it will be and I will post it.

If she chooses not to answer my questions or if my questions are deleted, then WE ALL would have our answer, wouldn't we?

And if the latter happens, we all need to let it be known about Ms. King's credibility - or definitely lack thereof - when she attempts to pass herself off as a leader in the black community.

The ball is now in your court, Ms. King. You called the game. Now you must play it.


Editor's note - I ask that anyone feeling compelled to go to Ms. King's blog and leave comments demonstrate the same dignity and grace that Bayard Rustin showed as a true leader in the fight for equality. Please remember that ignorant and juvenile comments will most likely be given center stage as indicative of the entire gay community at large and thus will allow an evasion of the question at hand. So while you may feel the need to become so angry that you speak before thinking, please be aware such comments can the cause more damage than good to not only our fight for equality but also Mr. Rustin's reputation.

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