I want to go on record as saying that I have great respect for Michael King, born 78 years ago today. We all know him a little better by the name Martin Luther King, Jr. Various blemishes aside, largely he used his talent to benefit others, and held strong to his goals of freedom and equality. I greatly respect that. His tenacity is evidenced in the setting where he first heard he had won the Nobel peace prize: after being admitted to the hospital while suffering extreme fatigue during his efforts.
Most of us know of the various events of the civil rights movement, so I won't reiterate the history. Some have profound appreciation for what happened, and some other Americans think that today shouldn't even be a national holiday. I fear that the majority are simply complacant. If this is you then maybe my words can have some kind of effect. On this day of remembrance I'd like to attempt to bring the ideas and zeal of Martin Luther King back to life in the context of the current Iraq conflict.
Just days ago the world has been shaped by the decision to send yet another deployment into a sandy version of the Vietnam war. 20,000 more troops. The message I get is that we're trying to win this thing by simply having more force. That part of the battle is long over, and it lasted only a little over a month: from March 20th, 2003, until May 1st when Bush announced victory. But unlike Vietnam this is not a battle with fixed lines. From May 1st, 2003 forward this is a battle for mindshare. The same kind of battle Martin Luther King fought and won. Heck, it's the same battle that Apple Computer is fighting and winning in the software world. Perhaps the president could learn from an Iraqi equivalent of Steve Jobs.
On this day of remembrance, I ponder what it would be like if the hard-working Martin Luther King were in office. Could we as a whole nation attempt to better understand the true character of our so-called "enemy"? Could we lay aside religious and social differences long enough to realize that at the core we really have similar ideas and goals? By some miracle could money become less important, and respect for overall human welfare more important? I expect I'm asking the impossible. The current American political system is structured so that it's nearly impossible for the real peacemakers of the world -- the Kings, Mandelas, and Ghandis -- to climb the ranks and make the big decisions. Thank goodness some of them are so adamant that they will not allow their voice to be drowned out. They insist on change, even if the cost is their own life.
So how long will Iraq last? 15 ridiculous years like Vietnam? My son is now 10. I don't want his name listed on the next memorial to be erected in the National Mall. If we don't learn from the past then that scenario is entirely possible.
Considering all that went on in Vietnam, the cost is incalculable. I think of those noble young patriots who chose not to back down when their country was in need. They stood up for freedom, and for what they felt was a just cause. They gave it their all. And the presidential leadership back then seems to have had just about as much of a plan put together as the current administration does for Iraq. When will we have a Gerald Ford enter the Oval office and pull out the troops? When will enough be enough?
Dr. King, we need you. What would you do about our current conflict in Iraq? Those in Washington have talked about current conflicts requiring completely different tactics. Okay then, are they, and are we, brave enough to try approaching the situation in a non-violent way? I wish these kinds of conflict resolution skills were made into a course of study we all take at school! As such I applaud various efforts folks are making such as this.
Maybe you agree with me, and maybe you don't. Let's hear what you have to say.