[Vision2020] What Would Dr. King Say About the War on Iraq?

[Tom Hansen]

>From yesterday's (January 17, 2005) DiversityInc,
http://www.diversityinc.com (subscription required) -

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What Would Dr. King Say About the War on Iraq?
By C. Stone Brown

"[Rev. Martin Luther] King would really be amazed at what is going on today
with the Iraq situation," said James E. Newton, professor of Afro and
African-American studies at the University of Delaware. "In today's world,
King would probably be as he was in the past, a kind of storm-trooper for
righteousness and would try to create a sense that America needs to take a
hard look at itself."

As the nation celebrates the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., America
remains engaged in the war in Iraq and in Afghanistan, while at home it
grapples with chronic unemployment among black men in cities such as
Milwaukee (59 percent), Detroit, (52 percent), Chicago (51 percent),
Philadelphia (50 percent) Los Angeles (41 percent) and New York City (nearly
50 percent). 

What might King think, given his non-violent philosophy, about America's war
in Iraq? What was his position on Vietnam, a conflict that many say
parallels the Iraqi conflict?

"The King I knew of would be very concerned about people doing something
based upon insufficient knowledge," said Alvin Thornton, Howard University
professor of political science and associate provost, referring to the
weapons of mass destruction that became the pretext for going to war in
Iraq. "On its face, it's based upon violence and America's first response as
a military response, he would always oppose that because he did in the case
of Vietnam."

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See you at the rally (Thursday 12:00 noon at Friendship Square),

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

We could learn a lot from crayons: some are sharp, some are pretty, some are
dull, some have weird names, and all are different colors....but they all
exist very nicely in the same box.