Understanding UK Unrest Through MLK's Perspective

How Dr. King's Message Relates to the Recent UK Riots

Dr King's 'Language of the Unheard' Echoes in Britain

As the UK struggles to come to terms with the horrifying events unfolding over the last week or so, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. may not be the first person who comes to mind. Following the murder of three innocent children at a Taylor Swift dance class in Southport, riots have erupted in various cities throughout England. Mosques have been attacked, as have hotels housing asylum seekers. Such behaviour must be unequivocally condemned and order restored as quickly as possible. 

The racism is undeniable. But it does not tell the whole story. And this is where Dr King’s words can offer us a fresh perspective on what is happening. In his challenging 1968 speech, The Other America, he spoke of two Americas: one “overflowing with the miracle of prosperity and the honey of opportunity”; and another where people “find themselves perishing on a lonely island of poverty, in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity”. 

Early in the speech, he noted the various backgrounds of people living in this other America, including Mexican Americans and Puerto Ricans. He included white people, referring directly to millions of Appalachian whites living in this “arena of blasted hopes and shattered dreams.”

Dr King paid particular attention to rioting African Americans living in poverty. Though he emphasised that “riots are socially destructive and self-defeating,” he urged people to understand why they happen:

"I think America must see that riots do not develop out of thin air. Certain conditions continue to exist in our society which must be condemned as vigorously as we condemn riots. But in the final analysis, a riot is the language of the unheard." 

He then detailed what prosperous America had not been paying attention to. Despite the huge achievements made by the Civil Rights movement, many were still living in poverty and desperation:

“And what is it that America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the negro poor has worsened over the last few years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that that large sections of white society are more concerned about tranquillity and the status quo than about justice, equality and humanity."

Though the situation in the UK cannot compare to the poverty experienced by African Americans during Dr King’s lifetime, his words are universal and resonate here. Today in the UK, 14 million people are classified as poor and 5.2 million are on out-of-work benefits, in a culture of flaunting wealth on social media. Elites are blind to the anger in communities still struggling with the impact of de-industrialisation. An extended lockdown was brutal for the less well off. And leaving the EU has not brought the increased control over their lives that many expected.

In the UK, the far right is actually very small in number. And yes, many thugs who like a fight are getting involved. But millions of people have genuine concerns about mass immigration and integration, particularly Islamism. Many congratulate themselves on the UK’s open borders, believing themselves to be very compassionate for supporting them, while ignoring the impact on poorer communities already struggling with low pay and unemployment. The offshoring of jobs, particularly in manufacturing, have left many areas impoverished and without purpose. 

The rioters may well be more complex than media reports suggest. Many disaffected men who struggle to articulate their powerlessness are easily drawn into things like hooliganism and drug use. In Loud and Proud, a study of the now-defunct English Defence League, demonstrations involving racist chanting were understood by participants as “the only way of ‘being heard’ in a political system governed by a politics of silencing.” The author, meanwhile, perceived them to be part of a “privileged white majority.”

Those who commit violence must face the full force of the law. Now that things are settling down and people are being convicted, the conversation must extend beyond the role of social media. We must listen and seek to understand why some are drawn to hooliganism and the far right, and why increasing numbers of people are turning to public disorder. Harehills and the situation at Manchester airport must also be included in talks. Immigration must be discussed openly. And we urgently need solutions to the deeper challenges we face. As Dr King so wisely said: 

“Social justice and progress are the absolute guarantors of riot prevention.”

Most importantly, we must examine who we are in the UK, and especially England, following this period of intense social change. Dr Martin Luther King lived in the United States, a country with a clear definition of itself as a nation of immigrants, and rituals for initiating people into citizenship. This enabled him to argue that the continued impoverishment of various groups of Americans was essentially unpatriotic. Without simply copying the United States, we must discover a new, unifying national story and make it easy for newcomers to assimilate and integrate. With a positive vision, this challenging period can become a catalyst for national transformation. It is the only way forward. 

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Vicki is a writer from England's border with Wales. Her main interests are politics, arts and culture. She is also a keen amateur potter and sculptor.

You can follow Vicki on Twitter, @storiesopinions

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