Monday, January 16, 2006

Dr. Martin Luther King
And His Sacred Agenda Of Love


On this day, we celebrate the 77th birthday of an authentic American hero, Dr. Martin Luther King. Today, it's never been more important to remember what he stood for and why he was so savagely slain. As all great leaders, Dr. King arose during an age of dynamic political, social and economic change. World War II effectively ended centuries of royal rule and set the stage for the advancement of true democracy. Everyone sensed real change was in the air.

The Ruling Class attempted to reestablish control during the 1950's. They offered the stolid, Stepford family life style. This boredom was shunted aside for the exciting early stages of the 1960's revolution. The irresistible forces of mass information, mass communication and mass transportation were evident. And the Baby Boomers supplied the energy for this most creative period in US history. The social consciousness revolution was about to explode.

After World War II, America generated half of the global economic output. Despite the incredible growth in US wealth, vast pockets of poverty and despair still festered across our nation. No group (save the indigenous peoples), suffered more from a lack of access and opportunity than African Americans. Dr. King shouldered the burden of articulating the problems; suggesting the remedies and moving Americans toward the solutions. The historic civil rights movement survived and thrived due to the strong economy. When resources are abundant, the majority embraces generosity for the sake of genuine progress.

As our nation grew, so did the vision of Dr. King. He began to realize African Americans weren't the only ones left out of the prosperity parade. There was also a poverty parade which included indigenous peoples, blacks, Latinos, women, gays, the physically challenged and many other outcasts. He understood our nation had to make a critical choice. We either corrected the glaring disparities confronting us or we'd soon perish from the hypocrisy. No nation, divided against itself, can survive indefinitely.

When Martin Luther King argued for more resources for the poor, he was politely tolerated by the Ruling Class. However, he was quickly condemned when he connected wasteful war spending with resource shortages at home. Marching for the right to sit and be served at a lunch counter was acceptable. But, marching to shift federal budgetary priorities was considered a grave heresy. Just like Jesus, Dr. King was murdered by the money changers.

Dr. King was killed because he advocated a common sense approach to solving our social problems. He realized the Ruling Class used war as an excuse to under-fund human development programs. Also, he saw this war paradigm was used by other nations. This ruse artificially prevented the rise of global peace and democracy. From this perspective, he expanded his vision from civil rights for a few to human rights for everyone. His approach to human development would finally admit the obvious: peace is cheaper and more useful than war. From the Ruling Class perspective, Dr. King was simply a clear and convincing threat to their command and control.

There is war in the world because it guarantees profits for the Ruling Class. In fact, it benefits no one else. The trillions squandered on the cold war could've resolved most social problems several times over. Instead, the Ruling Class stole the money and bequeathed to our children: mountains of nuclear waste, useless war toys, rampant deficits, crumbling infrastructure, a polluted environment, bad schools, poor health care, robber banks, criminal corporations and a dead democracy. The global peace movement keeps on screaming: Why, oh why, can't we do better?

If Dr. King were alive today, he would be driven to the brink of despair by our impostor president and his insane war policies. Despite his overwhelming sadness, he would rise up and say: "Haven't we learned anything?" He would be confounded to discover Bush uses religion not to spread peace, but to provoke war. Nevertheless, he would strive to lead the American people to the Promised Land. Again, he would advise us to seek peace through the renunciation of all forms of violence. Repeatedly, he would tell us to reject the evil deeds of George Bush and his whitened sepulcher chorus. And he would encourage us to love one another and help the poor in New Orleans.

In his book The Republic, Plato asked the question: "Who should lead the polis (city-state)?" He answered: It should be the philosophers because they are the only ones who don't have a direct stake in its success. Therefore, they can't be swayed in their decisions by selfish motives. Dr. King had a degree in philosophy from Boston college. If he'd lived, there's little doubt this humble man would've used his skills to end the scourge of war for the sake of lasting peace.

In these troubled times, we don't need another hero. We don't need another tyrant. We certainly don't need another impostor president. What we need is another prince of peace with a sacred agenda of love. What America really needs is another champion like Dr. Martin Luther King. My friend, are you that person?

Franklin L. Johnson
http://weareseers.blogspot.com/
starhelix@aol.com

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