It seemed that this year’s federal holiday recognizing the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. got lost in the confusion and chaos that have consumed the country. I didn’t hear the usual nonstop excerpts from Dr. King’s eloquent speeches streaming from the radio. There didn’t seem to be as many events that are customarily planned to honor the King.

Every year that Dr. King’s birthday comes around, I think about all of the hypocrites who let his name roll off their lips but work overtime trying to destroy the progress of the Civil Rights Movement. Or who do nothing to stop others from destroying the hard-fought achievements. I also wonder what Dr. King might say about the times we are in. What would the nonviolent leader say about the fool in the White House?

Dr. King would likely not have been offended by trump’s action to undermine his legacy in so many ways. He would have been more concerned that people had to pay to enter national parks on his birthday than about the fact that a narcissistic, racist president canceled free admission on the only two holidays significant to Black people – Dr. King’s birthday and Juneteenth – in favor of free admission on his own birthday.

I don’t think Dr. King would be able to contain his outrage at MAGA and its Project 2025 plan, which are driving people into poverty and endangering lives by eliminating affordable healthcare. The sight of trump deploying the military against unarmed citizens and immigrants would make his stomach turn. Witnessing the MAGA supporters trampling the U.S. Constitution and disregarding the rule of law would be too much for him to bear. I believe Dr. King would feel compelled to meet with Trump, to pray for him, and to confront him about his fascist agenda.

There is so much of Dr. King’s legacy from which this country can draw inspiration in these troubled times. He was a pacifist, but he was a righteous activist. He was more than a dreamer; Dr. King turned his vision into a collective reality. He left us with more than prophetic wisdom; he demonstrated unequivocally that this country was racist, anti-worker, and imperialist. The struggle against poverty, militarism, and racism was the cornerstone of his nonviolent movement. Today, Dr. King would likely give us a “C” on our progress report, indicating that our work is far from finished.

Dr. King would look across the United States before extending his gaze across the globe. He would feel deep sadness over the widespread destruction and trauma affecting various aspects of life, from moral decay to environmental degradation. We have significant work ahead of us, and Dr. King reminded us, “Difficult and painful as it is, we must walk on in the days ahead with an audacious faith in the future.” Some days, this is more challenging than other days.