“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,
On March 31, 1968 Civil Rights champion, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave a speech at the National Cathedral in which he expressed optimism in America’s justice system.
Despite the fact the southern preacher witnessed racism and discrimination, and could speak eloquently about beatings and imprisonment he experienced in the south, King envisioned hope for the most disfranchised Americans.
“We shall overcome,” he said “because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
On April 4 of that same year, King was gunned down in Memphis, Tennessee.
One day short of the 55th anniversary of the speech, twice impeached, former President Donald J. Trump was informed a Manhattan Grand Jury voted a multi-count indictment against him for paying off a prostitute in order to stifle any damaging comments she might share with the media.
April 4 will again mark significance in America when for the first time a former president of the United States will be arraigned.
The fact ex-leader Trump will be etched in perpetuity as a violator of the rule of law sears an indelible blemish on the democracy envied throughout the world as an example other emerging nations should emulate.
Ironic to the unprecedented disgrace of a former commander-in-chief is that District Attorney Alvin Bragg is the first of his race ever elected to the position. DA Bragg will demand accountability from the nicknamed Teflon Don.
History shows that in 1968 when the Civil Rights leader was assassinated at the Lorraine Hotel, there was not a single Black district attorney in the entire New York state.
With the historic election of Manhattan’s first Black DA, precedence has been overruled.
Reportedly in 1963, Trump and his father were charged with housing discrimination. Although charged guilty, and forced to pay a penalty the name has not been sullied by fraudulent behavior and payoffs.
More often than not accountability has eluded the so-called, self-proclaimed millionaire. Why the Department of Justice, the Internal Revenue Service, Attorneys General and a long list of agencies rejected prosecution in the past seems a decision related to privilege.
Yusef Salaam — one of the exonerated Central Park Five Black men described DA Bragg’s action to indict in a one-word post to social media.
“Charma” is how he perceived the ‘breaking news’ item.
Salaam’s reaction probably resonated similarly with others in the Black community and particularly four more men condemned to die following publication of a horrific attack on Patricia Miele, an investment banker who was allegedly raped and battered in the Manhattan park.
In 1989, citizen Trump paid three newspapers to publish an unsolicited guilty opinion condemning the then teenaged Harlem youths.
Although there was no DNA evidence to link Salaam and others to the brutal assault, Trump issued an assailing verdict before the trial even started.
His gesture allegedly created negative public opinion resulting with jurors voting convictions of all five youths.
As it turned out, following a bragging confession from a criminal serving time in the same prison as Kairey Wise — one of the Harlem youths — Salaam, Wise, Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson and Raymond Santana — were pardoned and compensated for the botched trial.
Trump is expected to be arraigned in the same court house as the men he campaigned to die.
While some Big Apple dwellers will celebrate the judicial boldness of DA Bragg by singing “I Love New York,” others will be echoing the Civil Rights anthem “We Shall Overcome” and maybe at least one NY voter will chorus the lyrics to “What Goes Around Comes Around.”
Chances are that MAGA (Make America Great Again) advocates will be dancing to a different tune.
Catch You On The Inside!
