On this Martin Luther King day and the eve of the US presidential inauguration, I digress for a brief moment from our family history to highly recommend today’s essay by Juan Cole, noted historian, Middle East expert, and news blogger. He points out that Dr. King was not only a Civil Rights leader, but a strong critic of imperialistic foreign policy, not only of the United States, but also of the imperial powers of Europe. Cole links this legacy to Barack Obama’s family history (Obama’s grandfather was a “houseboy” in British Kenya), and to the historic global challenges that are facing our incoming President today. To read Juan Cole’s penetrating essay, please click here.
