On the MLK holiday weekend, a very apropros MLK quote on war and peace:

[marmar]

More recently I have come to see the need for the method of nonviolence in international relations. Although I was not yet convinced of its efficacy in conflicts between nations, I felt that while war could never be a positive good, it could serve as a negative good by preventing the spread and growth of an evil force. War, horrible as it is, might be preferable to surrender to a totalitarian system. But now I believe that the potential destructiveness of modern weapons totally rules out the possibility of war ever again achieving a negative good. If we assume that mankind has a right to survive then we must find an alternative to war and destruction. "Don't ever let anyone pull you so low as to hate them. We must use the weapon of love. We must have the compassion and understanding for those who hate us. We must realize so many people are taught to hate us that they are not totally responsible for their hate. But we stand in life at midnight; we are always on the threshold of a new dawn."

- from "Pilgrimage to Nonviolence," 1958

[puebloknot]

1. How very much America lost when he was taken out! nt

[marmar]

3. Absolutely.

We could really use his greatness today.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

2. brilliant quote, thank you, k & r.

I can't remark further. This says it all. MKJ

[rosesaylavee]

4. Thank you.

He was so good at painting a picture for us of where we need to go as a human race. What a great image full of hope - standing in the dark awaiting the inevitable dawn. So appropos and so positive that we were going to get to where we need to go.

edit - correct tense from past to present... what was I thinking???

[Tom Joad]

5. "The greatest purveyor of violence in the world today is my own government"

Martin Luther King, April 4, 1967.
Nothin changes in 40 years, except that the US is even more violent than it was back then.

[Selatius]

6. When King was killed, many people with power breathed a sigh of relief.

Their profits were more secure with King destroyed. With Bobby Kennedy also dead, the game was essentially over for the grassroots for the next several decades. With them gone, Reagan and HW Bush would now have a decent shot at grabbing power including George W. Bush and his war.

[La Coliniere]

10. Hear Hear!

How correct you are. 1968, the year hope was murdered.

[lildreamer316]

7. Genious.

Does ANYONE think that way anymore? (I know some do). But do they get any attention? Credit?
OH; what a loss. I hope it motivates all to pay more attention to what he was here for in the first place.

[brettdale]

8. wow

wow

[n2doc]

9. We have no one that can write and speak like that now

And we are much the poorer for it

[ElsewheresDaughter]

11. America's greatest man.....another MLK anti violence/war quote..

[ananda]

12. More from MLK

Yesterday I found this quote and started a thread here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x3114756


"When evil men plot, good men must plan. When evil men burn and bomb, good men must build and bind." MLK, Jr.

Thank God at least we have this great inspiration in these horrible times.

Sue