Kucinich and "Give the Candidates the MLK Test"

[flvegan]

A Black Agenda Radio commentary by Glen Ford

"What would Dr. King do?"

The corporate media-mangled Barack Obama/Hillary Clinton "debate" over the relative contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and President Lyndon Johnson coincides with the birthday of the actual Martin Luther King. Since the corporate media is totally incapable of covering or even tolerating the raising of any issues of substance, and because both Obama and Clinton avoid real issues, real facts, and real history like the plague, we urge that thinking voters put the candidates to the Martin Luther King Test. What would Dr. King do, if he were alive?

Dr. King said the "triple evils" of his day were militarism, racism, and economic exploitation. In his brilliant April 4, 1967 speech at New York's Riverside Church, Dr. King showed the interaction of all three "evils" in the world; that these evils worked together against the interests of humanity. King declared that the Vietnam War, and other U.S. wars in the Third World, were evil manifestations of American militarism and an attempt to prevent other peoples from making "their arrival as full men" in the world - a reference to the underlying racism and economic exploitative nature of U.S. foreign policy.

In addition, Dr. King said he was "compelled to see the war as an enemy of the poor" in the U.S. King noted the "shining moment" when, after years of struggle, President Johnson became a collaborator with the Civil Rights Movement, pushing through Congress both civil rights and anti-poverty legislation. But then "came the buildup in Vietnam," and King knew, in his words, "that America would never invest the necessary funds or energies in rehabilitation of its poor so long as adventures like Vietnam continued to draw men and skills and money like some demonic destructive suction tube."

"Obama and Clinton have already failed the test."

The only candidate who would pass the Martin Luther King Test is Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich, whose platform for peace, truly universal health care, a living wage, and an end to corporate domination of American life harkens back to that "shining moment" in the Sixties that King mentioned, when there were "hopes" and "new beginnings." But the corporate media has caused the Kucinich campaign to disappear from coverage and televised debate.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_glen_for_080119_give_the_candidates_.htm

[Breeze54]

1. I

posted this in GD and got zero responses.

Let's see how it does in GDP! :P

:kick: & Recommended

[flvegan]

3. I just caught this on DK's site.

Hadn't seen it before.

Thanks for the K&R!

[no name no slogan]

2. So many people overlook what Dr. King said about militarism & economic issues

The "media-safe" version of him plays up his civil rights contributions, but COMPLETELY miss the boat on his message against militarism and economic exploitation.

After all, he was in Memphis on April 4 to support striking sanitation workers who were fighting for fair wages and economic dignity.

Racism is a problem, but classism and militarism are ALSO huge problems which most of our candidates neglect.

[flvegan]

4. Yep.

Convenient from time to time, it seems.

[ProgressIn2008]

15. Absolutely agreed -- it's as if the other aspects are too radical to touch

Militarism, racism, and economic exploitation... these are air-brushed out of the picture. The media-friendly version, as you say.

[harmonicon]

20. of course

Racism was invented by the ruling class and fed to the masses to make the exploitation of the worker acceptable. MLK knew this. Racism wouldn't have been a problem if we'd had "racial" equality in economic terms, don't you think?

"By golly Martha, I don't like Johnson down in marketing because he's black, but he sure did a bang up job on the kettinger account. I'm going to suggest he gets a raise!" Some how I don't think something like that has ever been said.

[LWolf]

26. This is a good point.

Thanks for bringing it up.

:kick:

[flvegan]

5. What, no responses from the Hillobama camps?

C'mon people.

[no name no slogan]

7. ...... chirp chirp chirp .......

[flvegan]

8. I'm going to keep kicking this until some of them chime in.

Might be a long night.

[no name no slogan]

9. I think you are right

:kick:

[flvegan]

10. Just about an hour now.

And I see some of them hanging out here.

[no name no slogan]

11. Jeez, what's wrong with these people?

Apparently militarism and economic justice aren't sexy enough for Democrats to talk about anymore.

[flvegan]

12. I tried to edit the thrad title to "Obama and Clinton have already failed the test."

as I thought that might bring them in.

Past the time to edit though. Maybe if I offered candy? Does the Obamanation and the Hillbot horde like candy?

[no name no slogan]

14. It can't hurt to try

That would have been a killer headline though. I bet they would've swarmed this thread like shit on stink :P

[Beam Me Up]

17. They don't have to.

Don't misunderstand what I'm saying -- their attitude is "why bother" -- because the media has effectively marginalized Kucinich's message. They're like insects that are drawn only where the media spotlight shines, flitting about their adored candidate of choice. Substantiative ISSUES that point toward the dark, underlying criminality of the Federal government?! They aren't going to go there.

[no name no slogan]

18. The media hasn't helped, either

The debates have basically been issue-free since Kucinich has been excluded (and weren't very good then, either).

People don't give a shit about issues. This whole race has turned into a poodle show.

[Beam Me Up]

30. What it is going to take: William Pepper

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7062060021997659224&hl=en

[flvegan]

19. Funny how here on DU we rage against this every damn day.

Yet, when it's flaunted in our faces, we pretend to not see it.

I'm still waiting for a member of ObamanationHillaryStreetBlues to chime in.

[Beam Me Up]

23. Don't hold your breath. n/t

[redqueen]

28. Yup. They only bother attacking Edwards now.

And they're confident they won't even have to do that much longer.

[Beam Me Up]

31. What it is going to take: William Pepper

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7062060021997659224&hl=en

[Desertrose]

32. Excellent video..thanks! Everyone should listen to this!!!!

can you make it a main post?

Right at 6 minutes he explains how 9-11 is not about terror, but the attempt to control the planetary resources by just a few.....damn. He is right on....

Great stuff...well maybe not so great for us but great to hear the TRUTH!!

Although I can't say I really like this truth.

[Fire Walk With Me]

34. I've been shouting "oil theft" since 2003.

Now I'm shouting about the MSM determining who is heard, and again, no one is listening to me.

I'll have to take a look at that video later today.

[redqueen]

33. Thanks... I'll watch this later today.

:hi:

[LWolf]

6. Racism, Classism, Militarism.

Those are still key issues today.

Obama and Clinton HAVE already failed the test.

<snip>

The only candidate who would pass the Martin Luther King Test is Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich, whose platform for peace, truly universal health care, a living wage, and an end to corporate domination of American life harkens back to that "shining moment" in the Sixties that King mentioned, when there were "hopes" and "new beginnings." But the corporate media has caused the Kucinich campaign to disappear from coverage and televised debate.

[Kucinich4America]

13. I also have a dream

A dream that this country will wake up..... put an end to corporatism.......put an end to discrimination.......put an end to war......put an end to the Whore Media. That dream begins with Dennis Kucinich being elected President of the United States.

[flvegan]

16. I'm with you, K4A.

An end to war, an end to the Patriot Act, troops out of Iraq, no worry about bombing Iran, universal health care, equal rights to our LGBT kin...

Dare we dream?

[superkia]

21. Hell, I would love to see the people around here wake up!

You would think that the people that educate themselves on the issues and whats going on in our country would at least be awake at the wheel but I don't even see it around here where there is plenty of information for the sheeple.

[lastliberalintexas]

22. Kucinich may very well get my protest vote this year

I had previously ruled out Clinton and have now decided I can't support Obama either (for reasons best left to another thread). For now I am undecided between Kucinich and Edwards, and I have made my peace with boneheaded things each did in the past. It's horribly sad to watch what is being done to the 2 of them, especially Kucinich given his peacenik stances.

But the only lovely thing about living in Texas this year is that I get to vote for whomever I choose in November without any guilt, and it's looking more and more like it won't be the Dem for the first time in my life. My write-in will either be Kucinich, Royal, Benn or even Edwards.

[Hun Joro]

24. Excellent! Sadly I will be unable to vote for him here in TX. n/t

[LeftyMom]

25. kick!

:kick:

[OzarkDem]

27. Obama & Hillary have failed the MLK test

He's right. They continue to support the war and pay lip service to dealing with poverty and health care reform.

[redqueen]

29. *sigh*