Liberal leaders have betrayed our civil rights legacy and failed Atlanta

Civil rights leaders advocated for peaceful protest. They have been pushed aside by the radical left

Atlanta voters weigh in on Trump vs. Harris

Fox News Digital spoke with voters in Atlanta, Georgia, about who they think will win the presidential race in their key swing state.

For generations, the city of Atlanta has been beloved by Black Americans as a place where our voices are heard, businesses thrive and families experience equal opportunities and the chance to pursue the American Dream. 

Atlanta is home to the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, where my uncle, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., my father, and my grandfather once preached a gospel of life from the pulpit. Today, the rise of crime and poverty in Atlanta has made our beloved city almost unrecognizable.  

The place where my uncle and father were raised to be leaders who would eventually work to end segregation has now become the poster city for the failure of radical progressive leadership. 

ATLANTA LOCALS SLAM THE STATE OF THE CURRENT ECONOMY: 'LIVING IS SO HARD'

For example, civil unrest and radical liberal violence set our country ablaze in 2020. Since then, Atlanta has become an epicenter of chaos among the shifts from our nation’s great capital city to the suburbs of Minneapolis and through our Black metropolis of Atlanta. 

Atlanta landmark church

The Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, is home to an essential part of civil rights history. (Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

All too often, we are seeing the applause of political violence resound from leaders on the left. 

As our communities are being torn apart, we see the promotion of Vice President Kamala Harris to presidential candidate. Ironically, her voice remains loudest in cheering for radical abortion policies. She has also encouraged hardworking Americans to pay for the bail of violent rioters in Minneapolis and never once told the left’s rioters in cities like ours to cease fire. 

Her betrayals break the hearts of many Black Atlanta residents who see our city, once a place where my uncle preached about the importance of peaceful protests, fall victim to the violent rhetoric of the left. 

Atlanta and many communities throughout America are still reeling from the shock. So, when Kamala says, "We’re never going back," she means it. But what she’s really saying is that she never wants communities like ours to heal. 

The problems for us have only become worse with her office. 

In addition to a dramatic rise in crime, under Biden-Harris leadership, it has become increasingly difficult for Black families in Atlanta to make ends meet. The price of groceries has increased by 20.3%. Credit card delinquency is at its highest level in nearly 13 years, and almost two-thirds of Americans live paycheck-to-paycheck. 

The American Dream has become out of reach for Black Americans in only four years. This is not the future my uncle and so many civil rights activists marched for. Leftist leadership has taken the empowerment, equality and prosperity that my uncle preached for and twisted it to convince us that we need saving through socialist programs and government control. 

The only saving we need is from leaders who tax and spend Black households to poverty, encourage political violence, defund the police and silence Black voices that speak out against the talking points that the left has prepared for us. 

Putting Americans first means holding criminals accountable, not rejoicing in political violence. It means returning to America First policies that make the most excellent economy in the world for all Americans, including Black Americans. It means supporting local law enforcement and denouncing any effort to defund the police in our country. This is the path to a secure and stable future. 

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The bottom line is this: The Atlanta that raised my uncle and where he chose to continue his legacy is long gone. Due to radical progressives in control, our city has been reduced to high crime, low wages, failing schools and broken families.  

When it comes time for you to vote, remember who led us into the new Atlanta. Remember who cheered on political violence and encouraged us to lose trust in law enforcement. Remember who promised better schools, new roads, economic opportunity and decreased crime. Remember who lied to us all for the sake of gaining power. 

Atlanta and many communities throughout America are still reeling from the shock. So, when Kamala says, "We’re never going back," she means it. But what she’s really saying is that she never wants communities like ours to heal. 

Over the next critical weeks, our city will remain an epicenter of American politics. The left continues to bring in celebrities and high-profile politicians and spends hundreds of millions of dollars to convince us to give them another chance. Don’t fall for it. It is up to us who remember the prosperous and hopeful Atlanta of old to remain vigilant. 

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If the people of Georgia were a priority for this administration, we'd know it by now. As this recent storm has devastated so many in the state, Vice President Harris's lone visit to address it simply isn't enough. By contrast, we saw the emphasis and energy she placed here into pushing her radical agenda these last few years. We deserve better.  

Friends, November is just around the corner. Don’t let our country continue to slip away. Pray for America. Vote to save our cities. Vote America First. 

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Dr. Alveda King serves as chair of the Center for the American Dream at the America First Policy Institute.

Authored by Alveda King via FoxNews October 11th 2024