Alveda King

Herman Cain released a country music video about how proud he is to have “left that Democrat plantation” and is now running for President. The video also features endorsements from tea party hero “Joe the Plumber” (3:10) and anti-choice leader Alveda King (3:36):

Pastor John Hagee, who is already ensuring his influence in the GOP primary, made his very own music video for Memorial Day. Hagee laments that Americans have let government “become the master of your children and grandchildren” and calls on people to “take America back to God and the Constitution”:

As Brian noted earlier, Live Action has finally gotten around to releasing its hoax video attack on Planned Parenthood, despite the fact that Planned Parenthood had already reported the "potential sex trafficking" to law enforcement officials.

And despite the fact that Live Action's Lila Rose got her start working with James O'Keefe and that this new video heavily resembles O'Keefe's own notorious ACORN smear job, Religious Right are already lining-up behind Rose and using the video as an excuse to attack Planned Parenthood:

Marjorie Dannenfelser - President, Susan B. Anthony List

"The exploitive roots and track record of Planned Parenthood is a largely untold story that now cannot be ignored. The horror of the logic behind Planned Parenthood's founding has come to roost in this modern form: it is the primary partner of those who degrade and exploit women. The exploitation of women by men through abortion was vehemently rejected by the early feminists. Yet today's footage and the unbroken trail of like evidence is a natural extension of founder eugenicist Margaret Sanger's worldview, who saw vulnerable citizens like African-Americans, the poor, and immigrants as 'human weeds' and 'reckless breeders.' She believed 'the most merciful thing a large family does to one of its infants is to kill it.' Certainly, this is not a heritage that embraces the intrinsic value of every human being. The unbroken chain of examples of such exploitation is appalling, and to further the injustice, this organization insists that it deserves the continued support of taxpayers. The moment for taxpayers to reject their compulsory involvement in Planned Parenthood has arrived. If it stays in business at all, it should do so on its own dime."

Abby Johnson - Former Planned Parenthood Clinic Director turned Pro-Life Advocate, Author of Unplanned

"As a former Planned Parenthood director, it is not surprising to me that this organization would protect individuals involved in sex trafficking. It actually seems like a natural fit. Planned Parenthood is involved in the violent killing of children and has no regard for life. People who traffic these young women for sex have no regard for their lives and are often involved in violent crimes. As someone who has witnessed this connection first hand as a clinic worker, I am so thankful Planned Parenthood's connection to this industry is being exposed."

Marie Tasy - Executive Director, New Jersey Right to Life

"New Jersey taxpayers and every state and federal elected official and law enforcement agency throughout this country should be outraged that an organization claiming to conduct 'extensive community outreach' has been caught on tape doing everything in its power to conceal the sexual abuse and exploitation of girls as young as 14. When Planned Parenthood says they provide 'family planning' services and brags that 'we welcome everyone -- regardless of race, age, income, sexual orientation, or disability,' what they really mean is that they're willing to make money on anyone, even child sex slaves."

Tony Perkins - President, Family Research Council

"Planned Parenthood has again proven that they are nothing more than a money-grabbing and highly corrupt abortion organization that will conceal a crime as disgusting as child prostitution -- and ensure that it quietly continues. Americans work too hard for their dollars to fund an organization this devoid of concern for young women and basic decency, much less to the tune of $350 million a year."

Dr. Charmaine Yoest - President & CEO, Americans United for Life

"This video will help Americans see the appalling truth behind Planned Parenthood's glossy public relations machine. The world's largest abortion provider poses as the defender of women's health in the glare of the spotlight. But when real women enter their doors, only money matters. We must make defunding Planned Parenthood a national priority: not one tax dollar should be given to fuel the abortion industry. Americans United for Life is proud to stand with Lila Rose and Live Action in their courageous work exposing the threat to women posed by the abortion industry and Planned Parenthood."

Wendy Wright - CEO, Concerned Women for America

"Sex traffickers will take their victims to abortionists to end pregnancies or test for sexually transmitted diseases in order to keep their victims usable for sale. Planned Parenthood has apparently realized this, and that they could make not only one sale, but repeat sales. Medical professionals are on the front lines to detect a sex trafficking victim and are duty-bound to rescue the victims. Imagine the crushing despair of a trafficking victim, taken outside the shadows to a 'respectable' government-funded health care provider, only to learn that they are partnering with the trafficker to assist his illegal abuse. This latest tape confirms that Planned Parenthood continues to partner with abusing men against the women and girls they claim to serve. Congress and state governments need to quit funding Planned Parenthood and their corrupt practices that abuse women."

David Bereit - National Campaign Director, 40 Days for Life

"As the father of a young girl, I cannot imagine any parent trusting Planned Parenthood with their daughter after watching this shocking and disturbing video. The revelation that a Planned Parenthood office is willing to aid and abet illegal trafficking of sex slaves -- to help line the pockets of pimps with cash -- raises the question: Who else is being exploited at Planned Parenthood's other 820 locations? This demands an immediate federal investigation for the sake of all our daughters, and -- at the very least -- Congress should freeze all taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood until the investigation is complete."

Kristan Hawkins - Executive Director, Students for Life of America

"This explosive video confirms what many of us in the pro-life movement have long suspected; that Planned Parenthood engages in practices that exploit women and underage girls in human sex trafficking and statutory rape. Now, thanks to this sting operation, we have the proof. Pro-Life students must share this video with their classmates, friends and teachers. Planned Parenthood can’t be trusted on -- or off -- campus."

Dr. Alveda King and Fr. Frank Pavone - Priests for Life

"Now we know that Planned Parenthood is not only targeting the abortion of black babies, but they are eager and willing to cover up the prostitution enslavement of young girls -- including minorities -- so long as they make money doing it. We must defund Planned Parenthood and their bogus claims of protecting women."

A large coalition of right-wing leaders have signed on to a letter addressed to Mitch McConnell, John Boehner and Haley Barbour calling on the GOP to focus on a core set of principles as it moves forward with setting its agenda:

Dear Senator McConnell, Representative Boehner, and Governor Barbour:

On behalf of conservatives from across America we write to you on the occasion of this tremendous Republican victory to express our support, as well as our expectation that this victory will be used to restore the principles of limited, constitutional government.

We are united in strongly urging you, for the sake of our nation and its future, to go before the American people jointly and present a unified vision of what this Republican victory will stand for grounded upon these principles:

• A commitment to restoring free enterprise and implementing tax and spending reduction, deregulation, and other policies that promote economic growth and prosperity.

• A commitment to protect individual liberty by reducing the size and scope of the Federal government and to reducing government spending to only those functions entrusted to it in our great constitution.

• A commitment to restoring traditional moral values by passing laws that recognize the sanctity of life, promote rather than penalize traditional marriage and the family, and respect freedom of religion.

• A commitment to rebuilding our nation’s military and establishing a foreign policy grounded upon America’s national interest, rewarding our allies, and removing threats to freedom and security from abroad.

Among those who have added their names to this letter [PDF] are:

Edwin Meese
Brent Bozell
Alfred Regnery
Tony Perkins
Wendy Wright
Herman Cain
Gary Cass
Jerome Corsi
Elaine Donnelly
Ernest Istook
Jim Garlow
Alveda King
Tim & Beverly LaHaye
Tom Minnery
Kelly Shackelford
Penny Nance
Phyllis Schlafly
Richard A. Viguerie
Mat & Anita Staver

Yesterday I wrote a post noting that Alveda King is claiming that her anti-gay, anti-choice activism is the true legacy of her uncle Martin Luther King's "I Have a Bream" legacy ... but I didn't realize the true extent to which King believes that she alone represents MLK's legacy.

That is something I discovered, along with lots of other interesting things, from this Daniel Denvir profile King in Salon today:

King’s academic credentials have also raised eyebrows. She is regularly referred to as "Dr. Alveda King" in promotional material, although her doctorate is an honorary one, bestowed by St. Anselm College, a Catholic school in Manchester, N.H. And she could not recall why she was awarded the honorary degree.

"I guess for my stand on the support of marriage, and family, and education, and life."

...

In the late 1970s, King was elected to the Georgia state Legislature, where she served two terms as a Democrat -- a period she is not eager to recount.

"I’m not involved in politics anymore," she insisted. "Make sure you note that."

By the mid-1980s, King left office and began work on a romance novel, "Arab Heart." A few years later, she filed a lawsuit against Paramount Pictures, charging that Eddie Murphy stole her plot for his 1988 comedy "Coming to America."

"I gave the manuscript to be read by Eddie Murphy, and he decided to take that and cut me out," she said. "But that’s what happens in the industry."

In 1994, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against King, finding that her self-described "historical tale of romance and adventure" did not have "substantial similarity" to the film, noting that the former was a "serious work with few lighter overtones, whereas 'Coming to America' is a quintessential light romantic comedy."

...

King, who until recently went by Alveda Beal King, has political commitments born of a difficult personal life. She frequently describes the formative role played by her divorces and two abortions, holding tight to her family name even as she became estranged from family.

In 1994, she released a letter condemning Coretta Scott King’s support for abortion and gay rights, saying it would bring "curses on your house and your people...cursing, vexation, rebuke in all that you put your hand to, sickness will come to you and your house, your bloodline will be cut off."

...

Alveda is dismissive of her aunt, who died in 2006, saying, "I've got his DNA. She doesn't, she didn't...Therefore I know something about him. I'm made out of the same stuff."

On a related note, CNSNews.com ran an article today looking at King's claims that her uncle was anti-choice, noting that he had once accepted an award from Planned Parenthood. Of course, King dismisses this fact entirely:

He pointed out that Planned Parenthood, America’s largest abortion provider, awarded the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. its Margaret Sanger Award in 1966, and it highlights King's acceptance of that award on the organization’s Web site.

But Alveda King told CNSNews.com that the award does not prove her uncle supported abortion, and pointed out that Dr. King did not even attend the award ceremony.

“Mrs. Coretta Scott King knew that her husband, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., was pro-life,” she said. “Mrs. Coretta King, who was pro-abortion, took and did read the (acceptance) speech, and accepted on behalf of her husband.”

In her analysis of the acceptance speech, Alveda King concluded -- based on the words spoken by Dr. King in his lifetime -- that the speech, and a subsequent letter thanking Planned Parenthood for the award, were not written by Dr. King.

“He did not write the speech. He did not deliver the speech,” she said. “There was a thank-you letter with what appears to be his signature on it, but he had other people who signed his letters in his office, so you can’t even really say he signed it.”

Basically, Alveda King has been cut off from the King family because she has made a career out of trading on the King name while peddling views that are diametrically opposed to those held by Martin Luther King Jr ... and so it only makes sense that Glenn Beck has tapped her to speak at his rally being held on the anniversary of MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech as Beck tries to claim King's mantle for himself.