Did you hear? Yesterday was Martin Luther King day, a day of service and deep, emphatic reflection on how we have moved forward as a nation.
Normally, MLK Day is filled with fiery speeches about civic duty coupled with glamour shots of politicians (the President in particular) at such noted political watering holes as black churches, homeless shelters, and your neighborhood's fancy putlock dinner.
This year, however, is as far from normal as possible. For one, we have Donald Trump in office, and on MLK Day, a day we all know Trump could wipe his a care less about, he showed his love of community service by helping himself to an hours-long golfing session.
LEADERSHIP is servitude.... Mr. President. #Golf #Trumpgolfing #MLKDay @ChrisCuomo @CNNPolitics https://t.co/98lWa7Tgx5— T. Rafael Cimino (@T. Rafael Cimino)1516118189.0
Right? That was exactly my reaction too. First of all, I'm shocked Pence even knows the location of a black church, secondly, I'm shocked he actually had the bravery to go to one.
“Red-faced” Pence humiliated by Trump’s racism at church service honoring MLK https://t.co/9VxIGST3qk https://t.co/UDY1GNAc17— The American Independent (@The American Independent)1516100475.0
WWJS (what would Jesus say) About #WhiteSupremacy ? @realDonaldTrump @MooreSenate @mike_pence @GOP… https://t.co/dvVdN4E7cd— Dax Gigandet (@Dax Gigandet)1516101729.0
Mike Pence paying tribute to Martin Luther King on #MLKDay. Oh wait, I meant to say, "Mike Pence preparing to storm… https://t.co/MOTYkOaat9— Steve Silberman (@Steve Silberman)1516063450.0
More to the point, even if Pence had black friends – which, again, I'm pretty sure he doesn't – none of them would have warned him about the righteous, God-ordained dragging he was about to endure.
So on Monday, as Pence sat there in the pews, beet-red (because hatred has a way of messing up your face) Dr. Maurice Watson of the Metropolitan Baptist Church in Prince George's County, Maryland, let him have it.
When Pence the hypocrite goes to a black church service for a photo op and gets SCHOOLED. #KARMA— Pam Kling Jones WE DID IT (@Pam Kling Jones WE DID IT)1516119237.0
I stand today as your pastor to vehemently denounce and reject any such characterizations of the nations of Africa and of our brothers and sisters in Haiti.
But Watson wasn't done, further opining:
Whoever made such a statement, whoever used such a visceral, disrespectful, dehumanizing adjective to characterize the nations of Africa, whoever said it, is wrong. And they ought to be held accountable.
'Red-faced' Mike Pence forced to sit through anti-Trump sermon at MLK church service. https://t.co/V2JYoRJ92e https://t.co/M22gx2hDRU— someecards (@someecards)1516111324.0
Watch America's vice-racist Mike Pence get dragged by black pastor while sitting front row at MLK service:… https://t.co/1R8qkF6P9T— The Root (@The Root)1516116887.0
Today we remember the legacy of MLK Jr. His memorial stands tall, but the real memorial to Dr. King resides in the… https://t.co/OJ6vtq6D8m— Vice President Mike Pence (@Vice President Mike Pence)1516032770.0