Join the fight vs. injustice – Rep. Lewis

REP. JOHN LEWIS exhorted a Florida audience honoring Martin Luther King Day to “not be quiet” when faced with injustice.

The Georgia Democrat and civil rights icon did not directly address recent insults from President-elect Donald Trump, but delivered a passionate retelling Monday of his own history that sounded like a sermon.

“When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have a moral obligation to do something, say something and not be quiet,” Lewis said at the Martin Luther King Day breakfast in Miami.

The congressman (photo bottom) spoke extemporaneously, announcing at the beginning of his speech that he was scrapping prepared remarks.

Lewis recalled being beaten in Selma, Ala., during an attack on demonstrators by state troopers in 1965 known as Bloody Sunday.

“Never, ever hate. The way of love is a better way. The way of peace is a better way,” Lewis, 76, said. “Be brave, have courage, don’t give up when you know you’re right.”

On Friday, Lewis said he would not attend Trump’s inauguration. “I don’t see this President-elect as a legitimate President,” Lewis said, citing a determination by U.S. intelligence that Russia hacked Democrat emails to boost Trump’s chances of winning the presidency.

Trump returned fire on Twitter, saying Lewis — who literally put his life on the line for the civil rights movement — was “all talk,” and “should spend more time on fixing and helping his district, which is in horrible shape and falling apart (not to mention crime infested) rather than falsely complaining about the election results.”

Among Lewis’ supporters was First Lady Michelle Obama, who tweeted Monday, “Thinking of Dr. King and great leaders like @repjohnlewis who carry on his legacy. May their example be our call to action.”