Growing up KING . . .

I just started reading a great book authored by Dexter King, son of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The book chronicles the 'inner history' of the King family, including anecdotes about older sister Yolanda playing the role of 'theater director,' young sister Bernice being the 'tag-along' tom-boy and of course, Dexter's own reflections.

In reading Growing Up King by Dexter King, I fondly reflect upon my own KING surname. The KING name is derived originally from Saxon conquerors of Britain (8th century origin), but then spread to Ireland. I am unsure of which side of the King family my name is derived from since I have both English and Irish blood on my paternal side. What is striking, nonetheless, is that the grandfather of Martin Luther King, Sr. was actually an Irishman named "King" and since they all lived in Georgia (where my own family roots extend back to that generation), at some point I (like Barack Obama being a 'cousin' to Dick Cheney, the black sheep of the Obama family ;-) am actually genetically related to the great Martin Luther King, Jr. At some point in the King surname Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and myself have a common grandpa!

With that being said, it is striking how much our 'family of origin' matters. Like Dr. King, descended from royalty on his father's side, I also have had to struggle for Civil Rights. A King is a King. People generally do not like kings, unless of course they can benefit from their power. To Dr. King, this meant going off to graduate school in order to gain his doctoral degree and turn the King family from Atlanta royalty to National royalty. For myself, like my Father before me, it has meant moving (back) to St. Petersburg, FL in order to flourish. Gone are the days of persecution by feminist ideology. Now, the future is BRIGHT.

If you would like to see a King in Office, in fact, even the Oval Office, then please support my political calling. Kingship matters. It did for Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement and it does for 2007 U.S.A. in helping to get our young men and women out of Iraq, reducing government spending, shaping up our deficit-riddled budget and making prosperity a real option for Americans again.

Vote King.

Love in Jesus Christ,
Rob J. King, fan of my cousin Martin ;-)