The Lady Doth Protest too Much?

Inscribed on the 30-foot-tall Martin Luther King Memorial statue are these words: "I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness." Poet and author Maya Angelou is harrumphing loudly over them. “The quote makes Dr. Martin Luther King look like an arrogant twit,” Angelou told the Washington Post. “He was anything but that. He was far too profound a man for that four-letter word to apply. He had no arrogance at all. He had a humility that comes from deep inside. The ‘if’ clause that is left out is salient. Leaving it out changes the meaning completely.” Hmm. Really? During the powerful sermon from which the inscription was drawn, Dr. King said: "If you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter.” Technically, I see Angelou's point. The inscription's wording is inelegant. It would better read: "If I was a drum major, say that I was so for justice, peace and righteousness." Would that fit on the statue? I dunno. But does the current wording scream "arrogant" to visitors paying homage to this world-renown peacemaker? I think not. As far as I know, there have been no complaints until Angelou raised her voice. Methinks the overprotective poet doth protest too much.