Posted on Apr 4, 2019
Martin Luther King, Jr., speaks out against the war
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The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, delivers a speech entitled “Beyond Vietnam” in front of 3,000 people at Riverside Church in New York City. In it, he says that there is a common link forming between the civil rights and peace movements. King proposed that the United States stop all bombing of North and South Vietnam; declare a unilateral truce in the hope that it would lead to peace talks; set a date for withdrawal of all troops from Vietnam; and give the National Liberation Front a role in negotiations.
King had been a solid supporter of President Lyndon B. Johnson and his Great Society, but he became increasingly concerned about U.S. involvement in Vietnam and, as his concerns became more public, his relationship with the Johnson administration deteriorated. King came to view U.S. intervention in Southeast Asia as little more than imperialism. Additionally, he believed that the Vietnam War diverted money and attention from domestic programs created to aid the black poor. Furthermore, he said, ‘the war was doing far more than devastating the hopes of the poor at home…We were taking the black young men who had been crippled by our society and sending them eight thousand miles away to guarantee liberties in Southeast Asia which they had not found in southwest Georgia and East Harlem.'” King maintained his antiwar stance and supported peace movements until he was assassinated on April 4, 1968, one year to the day after delivering his Beyond Vietnam speech.
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King had been a solid supporter of President Lyndon B. Johnson and his Great Society, but he became increasingly concerned about U.S. involvement in Vietnam and, as his concerns became more public, his relationship with the Johnson administration deteriorated. King came to view U.S. intervention in Southeast Asia as little more than imperialism. Additionally, he believed that the Vietnam War diverted money and attention from domestic programs created to aid the black poor. Furthermore, he said, ‘the war was doing far more than devastating the hopes of the poor at home…We were taking the black young men who had been crippled by our society and sending them eight thousand miles away to guarantee liberties in Southeast Asia which they had not found in southwest Georgia and East Harlem.'” King maintained his antiwar stance and supported peace movements until he was assassinated on April 4, 1968, one year to the day after delivering his Beyond Vietnam speech.
SSG William Jones Samantha S. Maj William W. 'Bill' Price COL Mikel J. Burroughs Cynthia Croft LTC Stephen F. ] Alan K. SGT John " Mac " McConnell LTC (Join to see) Maj Marty Hogan SCPO Morris Ramsey SPC Douglas Bolton Lt Col Charlie Brown Sgt Randy Wilber MSgt John McGowan Cpl (Join to see) PO3 John Wagner PO3 Bob McCord SGT Jim Arnold SPC Margaret Higgins
Martin Luther King, Jr., speaks out against the war
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Vietnam War
American History
Military History
Posted >1 y ago
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Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. - April 4, 1967 - Beyond Vietnam: A Time To Break Silence [Full...
Many folk have heard that the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. made the comment that the U.S. government [was/is] "the greatest purveyor of violence i...
Thank you, my friend SP5 Mark Kuzinski for reminding us that on April 4, 1967 The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his speech entitled “Beyond Vietnam”
On April 4, 1968 Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated.
I am posting the entire speech
Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. - April 4, 1967 - Beyond Vietnam: A Time To Break Silence [Full Speech]
"Many folk have heard that the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. made the comment that the U.S. government [was/is] "the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today". This was in context to a speech delivered on April 4, 1967 at Riverside Church in New York City - exactly one year before his untimely death. Though not as well-known as his other speeches, this is one of the ones that speak deeply to my soul. Because of a few "blips" in the audio, I tried to include include the entire speech to be read along with the speech. It was, however, longer that what is allowed here."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC1Ru2p8OfU
Thank you, my friend Maj Marty Hogan for mentioning me.
FYI LTC (Join to see) Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. "Bill" Price Maj Marty Hogan SCPO Morris Ramsey SFC William Farrell SGT Mark Halmrast Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Gregory Lawritson CPL Dave Hoover SPC Margaret Higgins SSgt Brian Brakke 1stSgt Eugene Harless SSG William Jones SSG Diane R.
On April 4, 1968 Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated.
I am posting the entire speech
Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. - April 4, 1967 - Beyond Vietnam: A Time To Break Silence [Full Speech]
"Many folk have heard that the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. made the comment that the U.S. government [was/is] "the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today". This was in context to a speech delivered on April 4, 1967 at Riverside Church in New York City - exactly one year before his untimely death. Though not as well-known as his other speeches, this is one of the ones that speak deeply to my soul. Because of a few "blips" in the audio, I tried to include include the entire speech to be read along with the speech. It was, however, longer that what is allowed here."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC1Ru2p8OfU
Thank you, my friend Maj Marty Hogan for mentioning me.
FYI LTC (Join to see) Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. "Bill" Price Maj Marty Hogan SCPO Morris Ramsey SFC William Farrell SGT Mark Halmrast Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Gregory Lawritson CPL Dave Hoover SPC Margaret Higgins SSgt Brian Brakke 1stSgt Eugene Harless SSG William Jones SSG Diane R.
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Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
Great man who I admired tremendously. However his assassination ruined our spring break. Went to Myrtle Beach that year, they put the entire city on curfew after he was shot. So much for a wild and crazy spring break.
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Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
1SG John Millan I disagree with you on that. His assassin, James Earl Ray, was a staunch racist who actually had no feelings one way or the other on the Vietnam War. His sole motive was to kill a black man who had become way to important in his opinion.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/assassination-of-Martin-Luther-King-Jr
https://www.britannica.com/topic/assassination-of-Martin-Luther-King-Jr
assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. | History & Facts
Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.: Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., mortal shooting of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., the most prominent leader of the American civil rights movement, on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. Learn more about the background, details, and aftermath of the assassination in this article.
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Capt Jeff S.
Unfortunately, Martin Luther King's infidelity also cost him some of his credibility... He ignited passions and turmoil followed him wherever he went. I see him as a mixed bag. He was conscious about race and brought it up often, but I don't think he was racist in the sense of trying to advance blacks at everyone else's expense. MLK was not pushing black supremacy, or trying to vilify white males, or trying make blacks out to be special people that deserve to be treated differently than everyone else (like Black Lies Matter); he only wanted equality. MLK had a wonderful vision and his "I have a dream" was one of his greatest speeches. Indeed it STILL is one of the greatest humanitarian speeches of all time!
Personally, I think MLK was a flawed man who didn't always practice what he preached. Aside from his infidelity, he advocated non-violence but carried a gun for his personal safety until his followers advised him that his message of peace would be better received if he didn't carry. I don't think a gun would have saved him from the assassin's bullet though. Nobody saw it coming. It's a shame he is dead. Though he was flawed, I still see him as a man worthy of respect who did much to raise awareness to class and racial discrimination. Does he deserve a National holiday? I don't think so!
Personally, I think MLK was a flawed man who didn't always practice what he preached. Aside from his infidelity, he advocated non-violence but carried a gun for his personal safety until his followers advised him that his message of peace would be better received if he didn't carry. I don't think a gun would have saved him from the assassin's bullet though. Nobody saw it coming. It's a shame he is dead. Though he was flawed, I still see him as a man worthy of respect who did much to raise awareness to class and racial discrimination. Does he deserve a National holiday? I don't think so!
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He had a point. Great history share and good morning Mark
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CW3 (Join to see) MSgt David Hoffman SFC William H. SFC Craig Dalen MAJ Ken Landgren CW5 Jack Cardwell MCPO Roger Collins Cynthia Croft Alan K. SPC Woody Bullard SGT John " Mac " McConnell SFC Pete Kain CPO Nate S. PO1 John Johnson Robert Collet SGT Elizabeth Scheck Sgt Randy Wilber Samantha S. SSgt Brian Brakke MGySgt (Join to see)
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