MLK Day

"You know they went after King when he spoke out on Vietnam. He turned the power to the have-nots. And then came the shot."

Sometimes I wonder how different the world could be today if the three-letter assassinations (MLK, JFK, RFK) never happened. And I'm not the only one who has considered such things.

Everyone knows about King's civil rights work. The "I have a dream" speech, etc. What doesn't get mentioned as often is how he became a champion of the poor and critical of American militarism in his final years. I think this is a story that needs to be told, especially now, and I'm glad that some are telling it.

To illustrate how his work is still relevant today, chew over this video of King's "Beyond Vietnam" speech. It was vilified by the press at the time. Heaven forbid someone speak out for "the shirtless and barefoot people" of the third world. But the words ring true even today, and our intrepid Youtube editor seems keen to point that out.