I think The Reverend Martin Luther King jr. put it best:
"Our lives begin to end when we become silent about the things that matter."
He was bravely not silent, at ultimate risk to himself, during his lifetime, it is those who handled his estate who silenced him in death. If they had not done that his position in both history and current effectiveness would be far higher than it is today. I can't believe for a minute he'd have consented to that if he had suspected that they'd do what they have to his legacy. As it is, his sons have sued his surviving daughter so they can sell his physical legacy to the highest bidder, in reports I've seen a private collector. They had originally sued to strip the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change of its rights to use the name "Martin Luther King Jr." to exhibit memorabilia concerning him or to even the right to allow viewing of his crypt.
I can't help but think of King Lear only The Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. didn't have an earthly kingdom to squabble over, his estate is made of moral insight which can be laid waste through silencing it and commodification of it. That is exactly what has happened to it.
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