For the majority of “white” Americans, Martin Luther King Junior’s legacy brings images of his famous, “I Have a Dream” speech. It’s pleasant to think of a world where we will “…one day live in a nation where they (his children) will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” Viewing Dr. King’s ideologies from this perspective alone, is both inviting and uniting to “white” folks. We can easily wrap our heads around it, as it reminds us of the golden rule: treat others the way you would want to be treated. Unfortunately, this “cherry-picking” involves selectively choosing one ideology of Dr. King’s and presenting it as if it represents the entirety of his views on systemic racism.

The truth is, for most “white” folks, this is the only quote we know of Dr. King’s work. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great one, but unfortunately, it has been commandeered by the “white” establishment to sanitize the truth about systemic racism.

My commentary today will focus on one of Dr. King’s equally important but, less well-known theories called the “Giant Triplets.” Dr. King’s phrase “Giant Triplets”, was originally from an address he gave at the National Conference on New Politics in 1967. It speaks about the intersections of three “evils”: Racism, Extreme Materialism, and Militarism in the United States. It is this topic that I will address, because while we keep hope that Dr. King’s dream will someday be realized, in reality, systemic racism, capitalism as a lifestyle, and the hyper-militarization of police continue to push forward in virtually every area of life in American culture.

In today’s “white” America, there are many people who claim to aspire to the ideologies of equity, justice, and anti-racism, but hopes and dreams are not enough to dismantle our culture of “white” supremacy. The fact is, there are very few “white” folks who are willing to actually commit to interrupting the status quo. Most of us are not comfortable enough to even discuss anti-racism, and when we do, we are often driven by “white” feelings over Black lives. We don’t know our own racial history and when we do support equity, it’s often performative without any real buy-in or sharing of power. While this is a complicated subject that could easily span volumes of books, I will use a real-life and deeply concerning example, to outline the “Giant Triplets” concept that Dr. King warned us about.

One need look no further than Atlanta’s “Cop City“ to witness a stark manifestation of Dr. King’s triplets in contemporary America, reflecting the persistent challenges faced by marginalized communities.

“Cop City” is the nickname critics have given the planned Atlanta Georgia police training center expected to cost $90 million and take up over 85 acres of space, with the remaining portion of the 265-acre property as greenspace, according to the center’s own website.

It is imperative for any meaningful discussion about police that we acknowledge that police in the United States, from their origins as “slave patrols” to near complete impunity for their actions today, have always been the “gatekeepers” of systemic racism. Many “white” people today, see police “training” as something positive because we choose to remain isolated from the reality of the terrorism police bring to our fellow Black and brown citizens. Our privilege allows us to remain ignorant to the horrendous violence police reap upon Black and brown folks from every part of our “justice’ system. In this way, we look the other way while we simultaneously benefit from these protectors of “whiteness.”  

According to the group, Stop Cop City, “The Atlanta Police Foundation is building a militarization facility for police to train in urban warfare.” One Philadelphia newspaper wrote, that Cop City is the centerpiece of this city’s establishment’s plan for doubling down” on militarized, warrior-cop policing. People in and around Atlanta, whose racial makeup is approximately 60% non-white, have protested the development of “Cop City” on formerly indigenous lands, and believe, the plans will include a shooting range, mock city and burn building, among other facilities. Many feel that this facility has a singular purpose: to learn how to better take control of Black and brown bodies using military-style force. According to the New York Times, “Cop City has already proven to be a source of violence, oppression, militarized approaches to civilians, unconstitutional activity and economic and environmental disaster,” said Susi Durán, a leader in the Atlanta chapter of the National Lawyers Guild. Protests over the last few years have been riddled with violence with civil rights violations that led to one man’s death after police shot him 57 times. According to In These Times, dozens “are being arrested and charged with “domestic terrorism.” 

Dr. King’s militarism is evident in the establishment of Cop City, as it appears to promote a war-like approach to law enforcement. The emphasis on policing and security measures suggests a heightened focus on aggressive tactics, surveillance, and the use of force. This militarization of the police force perpetuates a cycle of violence and fosters an oppressive environment for Atlanta and neighboring towns. Critics argue that this militaristic approach to law enforcement fuels police brutality, exacerbating an already alarming issue that has claimed numerous Black lives in disturbingly disproportionate numbers. Extreme racial biases exist in policing in the United States and has only gotten worse with a controversial Defense Department program called 1033, which enables police in the U.S. to acquire military weaponry at no cost other than shipping charges. While the program eventually restricted police from acquiring certain items, the Trump administration lifted the ban in 2017.

Instead of spending $30+ million from tax-payers to build a state-of-the-art facility for training police officers in militaristic tactics against Black people, why not use the money for education grants, de-escalation training, community programs, job re-education, improved infrastructure, universal healthcare, mental healthcare, or affordable housing in Atlanta? Police could also be educated about our real racial history, systemic racism, stereotypes, racial biases, and how to recognize developmentally disabled people, mentally ill folks, or those having medical emergencies. In other words, wouldn’t the money be better spent on actually helping the community?  Training police to practice violence, shooting, and war-like tactics makes these likely to be their go-to behaviors.

Additionally, Cop City’s construction on valuable land highlights the influence of capitalism as foreseen by Dr. King. Capitalist interests often prioritize profit and economic development over environmental concerns and the rights of marginalized communities. By exploiting the land for urban development, including the construction of a police facility, capitalist forces disregard the needs and heritage of local communities. This disregard marginalizes these communities further and contributes to their displacement, perpetuating a cycle of exploitation and erasure. Communities often do not have the resources to push back powerful, wealthy governmental institutions. Instead of implementing what’s best for the community, the wealthiest factions dominate control with little or no meaningful input from the people who live there.

Furthermore, the unconscionable location of Cop City on indigenous land and the destruction of the forest underscores the continuation of racism predicted by Dr. King. Historically, communities of color, particularly indigenous and marginalized communities of Black citizens, have borne the disproportionate brunt of undesirable urban development projects. By placing Cop City in this specific location, the project perpetuates environmental racism, subjecting marginalized communities to the adverse effects of developments, such as pollution, displacement, and the erasure of cultural heritage. It goes against the needs and wishes of the mostly Black and brown community. This reinforces the systemic discrimination and marginalization that Dr. King fought against during the civil rights movement.

In conclusion, the establishment of Cop City exemplifies the enduring connections between Dr. King’s “Giant Triplets” of militarism, capitalism, and racism. The militaristic approach to law enforcement, the exploitation of valuable land for profit-driven development, and the perpetuation of environmental racism collectively mirror the persistent challenges faced by marginalized communities in contemporary America. Rather than “white” people controlling the narrative by cherry-picking Dr. King’s “dream” speech, “white” people should follow Black leadership and acknowledge and address the Giant Triplets. We must support cultural change that strives towards the ideals of justice and equality that Dr. King envisioned. “No one is free until we are all free.”— Martin Luther King Jr.