Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr: we must work for peace

 

  By Reginald Johnson

 

   

  The immortal words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were heard in New Haven City Hall Friday as people took part in a community reading of King’s “Beyond Vietnam” speech given in 1967.

 About 15 people read excerpts of the speech, in which the civil rights leader came out and condemned the Vietnam War and demanded that American leaders take steps to end the brutal conflict.

 “The situation is one in which we must be ready to turn sharply from our present ways. In order to atone for our sins and errors in Vietnam, we should take the initiative in bringing a halt to this tragic war,” he said.

 King also urged that America stop spending so much money on the military and invest more money at home to eliminate poverty, racism and improve peoples’ lives.

 “A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death,” he said.

  King, who was attacked bitterly for his criticism of the war and America’s militaristic policy overseas, said it was crucial for people to take a stand, work for peace and turn away from violence.

  Giving his address before an audience at the Riverside Church in New York City, King said, “We are now faced with the fact, my friends, that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there is such a thing as being too late…We still have a choice today: nonviolent coexistence or violent coannihilation.”

Community residents take part in a reading of Dr. Martin Luther King's "Beyond Vietnam -- A Time to Break Silence" speech in New Haven City Hall. (Photo by Reginald Johnson)

 The community reading of King’s speech, the full title of which is “Beyond Vietnam – A Time to Break Silence,” takes place every year in New Haven and is sponsored by the Greater New Haven Peace Council. It coincides with the Martin Luther King’s birthday, which is Monday.

 Peace council members said the reading took on extra significance this year, as the United States is now heavily involved in another overseas conflict – the Ukraine War. Although there are no American boots on the ground --- yet --- the US and NATO countries have delivered more than $120 billion of lethal aid to Ukraine, to fight its war with Russia.

  The war began after Russia invaded Ukraine last February. US and Ukrainian leaders called the invasion “aggression” and totally unjustified. But Russian President Vladimir Putin said his nation acted only after a series of provocations by the West, including violations of the Minsk peace agreement covering eastern Ukraine, expansion of NATO to include countries close to Russia and a build-up of Ukrainian forces close to the Russian border.

  The war has taken 200,000 casualties so far and shows no sign of letting up. A number of observers have expressed the concern that the war could escalate into a nuclear conflict, which would be catastrophic.

 Peace groups are holding protests around the country this month demanding that the US stop fueling the war and take steps to bring about a ceasefire and ultimately a peace settlement. The Biden administration has so far refused to call for negotiations and in fact has scuttled tentative peace deals since the war began.

  Henry Lowendorf, the president of the Greater New Haven Peace Council said Dr. King’s Riverside Church speech still has so much relevance today. His call for an end to a brutal overseas conflict, stopping US militaristic policies in general and reducing military spending to free up money for domestic needs, all have application today.