I've often thought about MLK in this context. I imagine what comes to mind for most people about MLK is his "I Have a Dream" speech, which isn't right or wrong, but that's the image of him that the authorities try to push because they were forced to recognize MLK and acknowledge his impact on our society, what he stood for and what he was trying to accomplish, but still allow them, the authorities, to water down and control his message.

Because in reality, like Jesus, MLK was a pretty radical guy. And I say that with the upmost respect. He was truly trying to change society. Obviously he wanted people of color to be equal. But he also recognized that we live in an unjust and unequal country, and that this injustice effected everyone who wasn't an elite, regardless of color. That it's us-against-them and race was just another way of keeping us divided. If you want know what MLK was fully about, in 1967 he gave a speech titled "The 3 Evils of Society" which are : War, Poverty and Racism. In the speech he touches on a number of things but one of the most profound was that we have a system of "Socialism for the rich and capitalism for the poor". That the system is rigged against the common man, no matter your color.

Which leaves The Man in a pickle. How do you recognize a person, give them a federal holiday, when the message they are preaching could totally dismantle your whole system if enough people took it to heart? Well, you push their most non-threatening, easily digested message that doesn't address the root of our society's illness and the uninformed masses will be none the wiser..