While many Americans are simply thanking the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for a longer weekend, those in the socio-political world are using the spirit of the day to call to attention the many social faults the Trump administration has committed against the Black community. In the wake of his perhaps timely comment about those “shithole” countries, it becomes disgusting hypocrisy to hear anyone in the Trump administration celebrate MLK Day.

Dr. King fought peacefully for civil rights for Black people. He believed that religion was the backbone to his fight and that violence would not be the answer when seeking equality for Black Americans. His words and fellowship have inspired many in their fight for equality, including Colin Kaepernick, the bane of Trump’s existence.

Yet, we see the Trump administration applauding Dr. King’s strides for freedom, claiming “lack of opportunity hurts all of us, discrimination against one person hurts the whole community and hate against one becomes hate against all.”

Others exclaimed Dr. King was a “Christian soldier of righteousness.”

The most hypocritical comment came from Mike Pence, stating “[Dr. King] was a great American leader who inspired a movement & transformed a nation.”

Dr. Martin Luther King inspired a movement the vice president wouldn’t even support. In October of 2017, he walked out of a Colts game due to the civil protests because he would not “dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our Flag, or our National Anthem.”

The duplicity of the Trump administration speaks to many of the White American sentiments that can be constantly seen across the country. White Americans are willing to accept and even embrace historical strides for freedom, while condemning the current struggle for equality. They think in binary terms; the Civil Rights movement is over because the history books have begun a new chapter on a new historical event and so the struggle for civil rights does not coincide with any other era in American history.

They believe the case is closed because Black people have reached “enough.” They have “enough” equality to last a lifetime, and any other step over that “enough” becomes a breach on “White American Rights.”

On the birthday of a man who was murdered less than 50 years ago because of his believe that Black people have the right to equality, White people believe that in celebrating it, they have ended the discussion Dr. King sought to end. Similar to a white person claiming they are not racist because they have a black friend, using MLK Day to shield yourself from racial disparity and inequality is disgusting and deplorable.

While not every White American shares this sentiment, it should be recognized that your president (not mine) is a racist who does not see the value in Black lives. He is a bigot who believes in diluting America into a White dystopia that reflects his wealthy, white peers. He is a man who turns away from his own faults and pushes an agenda that does not include everyone that makes America great.

He is a racist and if White Americans were to recognize this and learn from his mistakes, our society would be better from it.