The Cincinnati Beacon
Senator McCain Misleading on his Martin Luther King Public Policy Record
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Posted by Media Release
Guest article by Cincinnati NAACP president Christopher Smitherman
Congressman John Conyers introduced legislation to create the Martin Luther King Holiday(MLK) four days after King’s assassination. King was killed in 1968. Fifteen years later and after six million petitioned signatures the House of representatives voted whether to approve the MLK National Holiday. This vote took place in 1983. John McCain voted against the MLK Holiday in 1983. The legislation still passed with a no vote from McCain.
Senator John McCain went to Memphis on April 4,2008 to mourn the assassination of MLK. Senator John McCain(R-AZ) visited Memphis while actively campaigning for President of the United States of America. During the ceremony Senator John McCain stated he made a mistake 25 years ago when he voted against the MLK Holiday in 1983. However, Senator McCain was misleading about his record.
In 1987, 21 years ago, Arizona’s newly elected governor, Evan Mecham rescinded the states MLK Holiday. McCain publicly supported his governor’s decision stating it was “the correct move”.
In 1989 the State of Arizona faced a national economic boycott based on Governor Evan Mecham’s decision to rescind the MLK holiday and Senator McCain’s support of the Governor’s decision. The NFL pulled the Superbowl from Arizona which was the-straw-that-broke-the-camel’s-back. Subsequently, voters ratified the MLK Holiday in 1992.
Between 1987-1992 there is no evidence indicating that Senator John McCain provided leadership for his state to adopt the MLK Holiday. This was 16 years ago. Arizona was the second to last state to adopt the MLK Holiday.(Illinois was the first state to adopt the MLK Holiday.) The delay in adoption was directly based on the elected officials leadership, or lack thereof. The news media will not make this connection but it ultimately took a boycott to bring the State of Arizona into the recognition of the MLK holiday.
McCain in 2000 publicly stated support for flying the confederate flag on the South Carolina State House. This is also called the “Rebel flag”. McCain has a disturbing pattern that the media has not questioned. However the media has questioned flag wearing on lapels.
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