Bernice King pushed back after a meme compared Charlie Kirk to her father Martin Luther King Jr. and Jesus, calling the image deeply flawed and exhausting.
Bernice King called out a viral meme that lumped conservative commentator Charlie Kirk in with iconic figures like her father Martin Luther King Jr. and Jesus Christ, calling the comparison both offensive and exhausting.
The image, circulated by Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, featured Kirk side-by-side with Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Dr. King and Jesus under the caption “All Because of Words.” The suggestion that Kirk—who was recently killed—deserved the same reverence as these assassinated leaders quickly ignited backlash online.
— Anna Paulina Luna (@realannapaulina) September 12, 2025
“There are so many things wrong with this. So many. I get tired, y’all,” King wrote on Twitter, responding directly to the meme.
Critics immediately pushed back, pointing out that Lincoln, Kennedy, King and Jesus were all figures who either died fighting injustice or became symbols of sacrifice. Kirk, a polarizing conservative voice, had a record that stood in stark contrast.
There are so many things wrong with this.
So many.
I get tired, y’all. pic.twitter.com/OOsALrycK3
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) September 13, 2025
According to reports, Kirk had previously called Dr. King “awful” and “not a good person.” He also publicly opposed the Civil Rights Act—landmark legislation that Dr. King championed.
Many on social media called the meme “a slap in the face” to Dr. King’s legacy. Others noted that the historical figures in the image were persecuted for challenging oppressive systems, while Kirk often aligned himself with those systems.
King has long been vocal when public figures distort or misuse her father’s image. This latest episode adds to a growing list of moments where she’s had to step in and correct the record.
The meme was originally posted by Luna on May 29.