[Peace-discuss] People are not fools

[C. G. Estabrook]

	Bush Booed at Martin Luther King Gravesite
	Reuters
	39 minutes ago
	By Randall Mikkelsen

ATLANTA (Reuters) - In a sign of the difficulty President Bush faces as he
tries to win black support for his reelection, several hundred protesters
loudly booed him on Thursday as he laid a wreath at the grave of civil
rights leader Martin Luther King.

"Bush go home" and "peace not war" the predominantly black crowd of
protesters shouted from behind a barrier of buses, as Bush paid tribute to
King on the 75th anniversary of his birth.

Bush wants to improve his standing among black voters this reelection
year, after winning less than 10 percent of the African-American vote in
2000.

The president was accompanied by King's widow Coretta Scott King, and
sister, Christine King Farris. He placed the wreath, bowed his head for a
few moments, and departed without speaking or facing the protesters as the
boos from the crowd increased.

The protesters carried signs with slogans like "Money for jobs and
housing, not war" and "It's not a photo-op George."

A White House spokesman defended Bush's visit to the grave of the
assassinated civil rights icon.

"This is about paying tribute to someone who had a tremendously positive
influence in shaping the world that we live in today ... it's a solemn
moment, a nice way to honor Dr. King," spokesman Scott McClellan told
reporters.

Bush was in Atlanta as part of a two-state swing during which he also
raised $2.3 million in campaign funds, trumpeted a reelection endorsement
from Georgia Democratic Sen. Zell Miller, and promoted government aid for
religious charities.

King's birthday is commemorated by a national holiday on Monday,
recognizing his non-violent leadership of the black civil rights struggle
in the 1950s and 1960s.

"Today, all Americans benefit from Dr. King's work and his legacy of
courage, dignity, and moral clarity," Bush said in a written statement
proclaiming the annual holiday.

Bush faces a stiff challenge in wooing black voters.

"Bush's policies contradict everything Dr. King stood for," said Ann
Mauney, a member of the Georgia Peace and Justice Coalition.

U.S. Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, a Maryland Democrat and chairman of the
Congressional Black Caucus (news - web sites), criticized the grave visit
as "yet another symbolic gesture that lacks any real substance."

"Every policy decision of the Bush Administration including the war in
Iraq (news - web sites), healthcare, jobs, the economy, judicial
nominations, housing, the environment, as well as secondary and higher
education, has done nothing to strengthen Dr. King's dream," Cummings
said.

Earlier on Thursday, Bush hailed King's legacy during a visit to the
predominantly black Union Bethel African Methodist Episcopal church in New
Orleans. "I'm really not worthy to stand here, when I think about the fact
that ... this is the very place where Martin Luther King stood, as well,
some 42 years ago."

He also promoted his program of government aid for religious charities,
which is popular among some black clergy. He announced new rules that help
"faith-based" charities compete for $3.7 billion in Justice Department
(news - web sites) funding.

Bush raised $1 million at a New Orleans campaign fundraiser, and $1.3
million in Atlanta.

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