Civil rights icon John Lewis, D-Ga., encouraged people to “never, ever hate” in a Martin Luther King Day speech in Florida that seemed partly aimed at President-elect Trump.
“Never give in. Stand up. Speak up. When you’re seeing something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have a moral obligation to do something, to say something, and not be quiet,” Lewis told the attendees of the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project breakfast.
He never mentioned Trump by name, but said, “We must never, ever hate. The way of love is a better way. The way of peace is a better way.”
Lewis and Trump spared over the weekend after Lewis attacked Trump as an “illegitimate” president, and Trump said Lewis should be focused on helping his district. Trump said Lewis, the civil rights icon who was arrested several times in the 1960s, was “all talk” and “no action.”
“Congressman John Lewis should spend more time on fixing and helping his district, which is in horrible shape and falling apart (not to mention crime infested) rather than falsely complaining about the election results. All talk, talk, talk – no action or results. Sad!” Trump said in a series of tweets.
Lewis said on Friday that Trump is not a “legitimate president,” because of the alleged Russian involvement in the 2016 election, and said he would not be attending the inauguration.
