Subscribe
Subscribe

Jesse Jackson downtown Monday, compares Occupy to civil rights movement

By Liz Farmer
Published November 7, 2011 5:00am ET
Add Washington Examiner on Google
Jesse Jackson downtown Monday, compares Occupy to civil rights movement
Martin Luther King’s niece is peeved that the Rev. Jesse Jackson has been comparing the Occupy movement that has taken hold in major cities nationwide to the sit-ins of the civil rights movement of the 1950s and ’60s. But Jackson, who visited McPherson Square ‘occupy’ers Monday evening in the District obviously didn’t get the memo. […]

Martin Luther King’s niece is peeved that the Rev. Jesse Jackson has been comparing the Occupy movement that has taken hold in major cities nationwide to the sit-ins of the civil rights movement of the 1950s and ’60s. But Jackson, who visited McPherson Square ‘occupy’ers Monday evening in the District obviously didn’t get the memo.

Jackson gave a talk and then led a prayer with a small group of about 30 protestors as the sun set Monday evening. Afterward, he told The Washington Examiner that he supported the movement because they followed the same principles as the nonviolent civil rights protestors.

All of it is occupying for economic justice. Dr. King’s last act on earth was to come to Washington and to occupy the mall and put the focus on economic justice. He was willing to go to jail and engage in civil disobedience to keep that focus on [unintelligible]. He argued over and over again that we should establish a floor by which no American shall fall [through]. … Those who lost their homes to foreclosure should be here. The churches that face foreclosure should be here. Those with student loan debt should be here. All those who are hurting have some obligation to come here and stand until something good and positive happens.
Related Coverage
  • D.C. police chief says Occupy protesters getting more violent
    		•

    Earlier on Monday, King niece Alveda King told Fox News that her uncle would not have condoned the movement.

    “I believe that Rev. Jackson is doing a disservice,” King said. “My uncle, the whole [civil rights] movement, was founded in prayer, in crying out to God in a peaceful movement. And this [Occupy] movement is not peaceful.”

    Tag:

    Liz Farmer
    Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

    NEWS

    POLICY

    COMMENTARY

    RESTORING AMERICA

    • © Copyright 2026. Washington Examiner. All Rights Reserved.