what did charlie kirk say about mlk jr

Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA, made highly critical and controversial remarks about Martin Luther King Jr. In 2023, Kirk called MLK "awful" and "not a good person," reversing his earlier praise of King as a "hero" and "civil rights icon." He described King as a "mythological anti-racist creation" and challenged the generally positive narrative around him, calling the civil rights leader and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 a "huge mistake." Kirk also dismissed King's legacy by claiming that despite being idolized today, King was largely unpopular during his lifetime. He framed King as a flawed figure who did not deserve the reverence he now receives and contrasted King's impact with negative outcomes for Black Americans, such as reliance on government aid and stalled educational progress. Kirk expressed these views publicly on social media, in speeches, and on his podcast, aiming to "reveal the truth about MLK Jr" in a critical campaign timed around MLK Day.