Posted on 01/21/2007 11:05:20 AM PST by Chi-townChief
Thirty-nine years after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and one year after his widow Coretta Scott Kings' passing, the prophetic message of the "drum major for peace" is as powerful and relevant as ever. In 2007 his words have incisive relevance for people all over the world from Iraq to Somalia, New York to Chicago and from Harvey and Chicago Heights to Country Club Hills.
A bird's-eye view would show literally millions of people drawing inspiration from the life, work and message of Dr. King for their efforts to obtain peace, justice and equality at every level of society, along with opposition to the Bush administration's occupation of Iraq and willingness to expand its ill-conceived aggression into Iran and Syria.
In the United States, 70 percent of the people oppose Presidents Bush's desire to increase U. S. troop involvement in what has become a civil war.
Barack Obama came to Harvey and reminded us that the obscene expenditures for the invasion and occupation of Iraq, about $2 billion per week, could be put to good use right here at home.
The reverberations from this message may last for a long time.
Although his visit to the South Suburbs did not generate the media attention of a Barack Obama, Bill Walls brought his campaign for mayor of Chicago to the region for an interview with Anthony Travis, a former Maywood and host of a local public affairs show on Comcast cable.
Walls articulated his program for the city along with an insightful and penetrating critique of the Daley administration.
His interview deserves a wider viewing audience. If he ever gets the media exposure that was given the Harold Washington's campaign, we could see a new movement that could sweep him into office. Walls' message is just that powerful.
Keep an eye on his grassroots campaign.
On the Friday before Dr. King's Jan. 15 birthday observance, internationally recognized singer, activist and humanitarian, Harry Belafonte spoke at St. Sabina Catholic Church in Englewood. In a two-hour speech that covered his life; what he called the villainy of the Catholic church; his relationship with activists like Paul Robeson, W.E.B. Dubois, Marcus Garvey and Langston Hughes; his first encounters with Dr. King and the transformational character of the civil rights movement, he brilliantly described the context for his opposition to the Bush administration.
He also explained his criticisms of Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice for their estrangement from the aspirations of everyday people in the African Diaspora.
It was evident that, as an 80-year-old man, he had navigated the waters of British colonialism in Jamaica and American segregation with his sense of pride and dignity intact. He said he drew strength and sustenance from the beauty, dignity and courage of his mother, who taught him to get up each day with a commitment to do something to help his people fight for social justice.
It was through his work with Dr. King and others in the civil rights movement that he was able to live up to his mother's and Dr. King's guiding principles of non-violent struggle.
In University Park the Rev. Frank Thomas, founder of New Faith Baptist Church in Matteson, brought another one of his thoughtful blends of scripture and the prophecy of Dr. King Jr. to the annual King Day program.
He asked if there is a relationship between invasion and occupation of Iraq and the fact that the United States, with 5 percent of the world's population, consumes 24 percent of the world's energy.
He challenged those in the capacity crowd to examine their addiction to materialism and to learn how to live on 80 percent of their income. Give 10 percent to God and the other 10 percent to yourself in the form of savings, he said.
Such a sacrifice would improve one's economic position, the environment and perhaps lessen the likelihood that the U.S. military would be engaged in another foreign war for oil.
If Dr. King could have heard Bill Walls, Harry Belafonte, Barack Obama and the Rev. Thomas this past week he would have been happy with the messages conveyed.
Our job is to apply the ideas of Dr. King to our lives every day.
For, as Dr. King once said, "We all can be great because we all can serve."
David Johnson's "Subject to Change" appears every other week in The Star. Johnson is a professor at South Suburban College in South Holland and a former mayor of Harvey. He may be reached at djohnson@southsuburbancollege.edu
Only 7 more weeks of Black History Month left to go....
Not a word about "content of their character".
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
If one were to follow the thinking of Dr. King, they would more than likely support the Iraq War. This war stands in stark contrast in both purpose and tactics to the Vietnam War Dr. King opposed. The reality of the situation is, GWB broke from a dangerous American policy of containment and economic isolation in the Middle East. Given that fact there is a great deal of evidence to suggest Dr. King would have been a close ally of the Bush Administration. King opposed violence and in the history of American warfare, the Iraq War is the least violent. Great effort has been made by American forces in Iraq to accommodate the views of our enemies and bring them into the political process without violence. That is exactly the kind of American policy Dr. King was fighting for. This article is totally disingenuous and seeks only to use the name of Dr. King to push forward an agenda that has little or nothing to do with Dr. King's life's work. The author exposes his selfishness and shortsightedness when he states unashamedly that the Billions of dollars being spent on the Iraq War should instead be spent here at home. There is a big difference between National Security and National Welfare. This author is implying that socialist domestic policy would be better than the positive direction American policy has taken in the most dangerous region of the world. No sir... This author is extremely shortsighted. There is no way he could achieve social justice at home or abroad with his interpretation of King's thinking.
Harry Belafonte is an internationally renowned bigoted, senile Commie ignoramus. What is he TALKING about, "villainy of the Catholic church"??? Why doesn't ANYONE challenge these idiots to cite some examples? The Catholic Church has been at the forefront of the fight for racial equality.
Socialist Obama thinks that spending money to defend this country is a waste of money, he thinks it would be better spent taking it from the people that work and giving it to those who don't.
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