“A time will come when silence will be betrayal.'' These were the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1967, when he gave a speech titled “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break the Silence.'' These are the words I spoke.
Because of his conscience, Dr. King had no choice but to speak out and convey his condemnation of the Vietnam War and the militarism practiced by the United States, or the United States, which is considered the “world's greatest supplier of violence.” said.
In his speech, King warned that if we remain a society that focuses on “profit motives and property rights” over people, we will suffer the triple evil of militarism, poverty, and racism. did. Now, almost 57 years later, our government and elected officials are hearing these words as they prepare to whip him out for mandatory social media posts and press releases. Did you listen to it?
A great silence continues to surround our government's actions today as Israel bombs Gaza in the wake of the October 7 Hamas attack that killed approximately 1,200 people and kidnapped hundreds. President Joe Biden's administration has refused to publicly call for an immediate ceasefire, even though it has aided and abetted the massacre of thousands of civilians in Palestine.
In the 100 days since Israel began bombing Gaza, more than 20,000 civilians, including 10,000 children, have been killed or injured.Just this weekend, Biden statement He spoke of the 100 days that had passed, but only mentioned the hostages, not the thousands of Palestinians who were killed. What a betrayal of silence that he makes no mention of the thousands of people killed by the bombs Congress passed to give to other countries.
Biden not only embodied this silence that Dr. King criticized, he even used violence to secure the profit motive against the people. Last week, the US bombed the Houthis in Yemen, potentially leading to escalation in the region. In response to the bombing, Biden said: “I will not hesitate to order further action as necessary to protect our people and the freedom of international commerce.”
Biden would rather use violence to secure international commerce than use peace to obtain a cease-fire and an end to the bombing, even at the cost of America's global standing and possibly his own campaign. I'm eager to do it.
Dr. King also said in his speech that we must declare our eternal hostility to militarism, even when it is unpopular. “Our only hope today lies in our ability to recapture our revolutionary spirit, to embark on a sometimes hostile world and proclaim our eternal hostility to poverty and racism.” And militarism. ”
Elected officials, and more specifically liberals, will be broadcasting messages today and convening town halls to discuss Dr. King's nonviolent, peaceful legacy and pursuit of equality. But at the same time, they will remain silent about the children and their families being blown up by American weapons. Even Biden is likely to issue statements about Dr. King while taking actions that contrast with his accomplishments.
Some may argue that even though Dr. King is no longer here, we don't know how he would feel. But her daughter Bernice King responded to actress Amy Schumer by saying in X that her father would have called for a ceasefire in Palestine and the return of Israeli hostages.
“Indeed, my father is against anti-Semitism, and so am I. I also believe that militarism (along with racism and poverty) is one of the interrelated triple evils. ” she wrote.
Can you claim to uphold Dr. King's legacy while remaining silent about the deaths of thousands of people for political goals and American interests in the region?
And let me be clear: thousands of people are not silent and are protesting demanding a ceasefire and an end to militarism. However, these demands have been met with silence and resistance.
Today, as we honor Dr. King's life, we invite you to listen to his “Beyond Vietnam” address. If we truly want to honor his legacy, we too must find the courage to speak out against militarism.
