The AP is reporting the Martin Luther King’s greedy family is going after the makers of shirts and posters with King’s image next to that of Barack Obama.
Instead of being proud of the fulfillment of King’s dream, the family wants the money. These are the same family members that auctioned off King’s private papers instead of donating them causing King’s alma mater to have to spend tens of millions of dollars to acquire the papers.
These kids don’t even get along. Read this:
“We realize the historic nature of events surrounding President-elect Obama and we are seeking an elegant solution to address the commercial use of Dr. King’s image in connection with our newly elected president,” Dexter King said in a statement.
With the siblings already battling in court over whether to publish their mother’s diaries, it could be difficult for them to reach a consensus.
Jock Smith, an attorney for Bernice King and Martin Luther King III, warned that any action Dexter King takes without their approval would be “an illegal action not sanctioned by the corporation.”
I think this guy has a handle on the situation:
Street vendors and cousins Francis Sarr and Michael Silva said they are not sure whether anyone licensed the T-shirts for sale at their downtown Atlanta souvenir stand, including one featuring images of King and Obama and the words, “I HAVE A DREAM … THAT CHANGE IS GONNA COME.”
But they said they would be happy to contribute a portion of the proceeds to the King estate.
“By right, they definitely deserve something from it and should give their consent to sell it,” Silva said. “I guess everyone is trying to cash in.”
I imagine as the generations move farther from MLK the bickering will intensify, becoming more trivial as each member tries to get a piece of the pie.