抗議者50年後重啓馬丁路德金反貧窮的鬥爭

Thousands of poor, low-wage workers, activists and religious leaders across the United States have kicked off a revival of the Poor People's Campaign, a civil disobedience movement founded 50 years ago by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

The 2018 campaign will involve 40 days of protests and action at more than 30 state capitals and Washington, D.C., aimed at relaunching a fight against poverty, war and income inequality that first took root half a century ago.

In 1968, King created a multicultural, multifaith coalition after witnessing hunger in the rural town of Marks, Mississippi. He envisioned a march of the poor, descending on the nation's capital to demand better living conditions and higher wages.

On May 13, 1968, more than 100 people departed Marks in covered wagons pulled by mules. Black-and-white photos show covered wagons with slogans painted on their canvas tops: "Feed the Poor,'' "Injustice is a Sin in the Sight of God'' and "Which is Better? Send Man to Moon or Feed Him on Earth.''

Organizers of the new Poor People's Campaign say King's vision has yet to be realized.

They are calling for a list of demands, including changes to federal and state living wage laws that are "commensurate for the 21st century economy," a reinvestment in public housing, a repeal to the 2017 GOP-led tax plan, an end to America's militarism, reallocation of "resources from the military budget to education, health care, jobs and green infrastructure needs," and eradicating systemic racism.

According to the U.S. Census, there are nearly 41 million people living in poverty, although activists say the actual number is likely much higher. The federal poverty level in 2018 is considered $25,001 annually for a family of four.美國成千上萬貧困、低收入的工人、活動人士和宗教團體領袖重新啓動了“窮人運動”。民權領袖馬丁路德金50年前發起了這個非暴力抵制運動。

2018年“窮人運動”的內容包括在30多個州府和首都華盛頓舉行40天的抗議活動，目標是繼續50年前開始的努力，再次對貧困、戰爭、以及收入不平等開戰。

馬丁路德金1968年在密西西比州的馬爾克斯目睹了飢餓後，創建了一個多文化、多宗教的聯盟。他計劃一支由窮人組成的遊行隊伍一直行進到華盛頓，要求更好的生活條件和更高的工資。

1968年5月13號，100多人乘坐騾子拉的大篷車出發。當時拍攝的黑白照片顯示大篷車上寫有標語，包括“讓窮人有飯吃”，“不公正就是在上帝面前犯罪”，以及“把人送上月球和在地球上讓他吃飽飯，哪個更好”？

新“窮人運動”組織者說，馬丁路德金的理想仍未實現。

新“窮人運動”提出了一系列要求，包括修改聯邦和州的最低工資標準，使其與21世紀的經濟相符；再次開始向公共住房投資；廢除2017年共和黨主導的稅法改革；停止美國正在進行的軍國化；把軍費轉投到教育、醫療保健和綠色基礎設施；以及杜絕系統的種族主義。

根據美國人口普查，有4100萬美國人生活在貧困中。活動人士說，實際數字很可能更高。根據美國聯邦政府2018年的標準，一個四口之家年收入的貧困線是2萬5001美元。