Martin Luther King Jr., and His Powerful Message of Nonviolent Resistance to Tyranny

"Returning hate for hate only multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; Only love can do that." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

As yesterday was Martin Luther King Day, I just wanted to make a quick post in memory of this courageous man and his powerful message of peace, love and justice which seems to be regularly ignored by the very same ones who today honor him, and tomorrow will go back to praising the very injustice he spent his life seeking to eradicate from society. MLK is known as a Civil Rights leader, but he was far more than that, as one of the most powerful and effective nonviolent revolutionaries this nation has ever known.

As Edward Curtin put it:

In other words, Martin Luther King was a transmitter of a non-violent spiritual and political energy so plenipotent that his very existence was a threat to an established order based on violence, racism, and economic exploitation. He was a very dangerous man.

Revolutionaries are, of course, anathema to the power elites who, with all their might, resist such rebels’ efforts to transform society. If they can’t buy them off, they knock them off. Forty-eight years after King’s assassination, the causes he fought for – civil rights, the end to U.S. wars of aggression , and economic justice for all – remain not only unfulfilled, but have worsened in so many respects. And King’s message has been enervated by the sly trick of giving him a national holiday and urging Americans to make it “a day of service.” Needless to say, such service does not include non-violent war resistance or protesting a decadent system of economic injustice.

Because MLK repeatedly called the United States the “greatest purveyor of violence on earth,” he was universally condemned by the mass media and government that later – once he was long and safely dead – praised him to the heavens. This has continued to the present day of historical amnesia.

But not only was he universality condemned by the same government that now honors him with a holiday, he was also assassinated by them, killed by the very same evil system of violence and injustice which he spent his life attempting to reform. This is not a crazy conspiracy theory, but is rather the verdict of a court of law. On December 9, 1999, a day after the verdict had been issued, Mrs. Coretta Scott King made a statement to the press, applauding the verdict as 'justice well served' and 'victory for America'.

There is abundant evidence of a major high level conspiracy in the assassination of my husband, Martin Luther King, Jr. and the civil court’s unanimous verdict has validated our belief. [...] This verdict is not only a great victory for my family, but also a great victory for America. It is a great victory for truth itself. It is important to know that this was a SWIFT verdict, delivered after about an hour of jury deliberation.

The jury was clearly convinced by the extensive evidence that was presented during the trial that, in addition to Mr. Jowers, the conspiracy of the Mafia, local, state and federal government agencies, were deeply involved in the assassination of my husband. The jury also affirmed overwhelming evidence that identified someone else, not James Earl Ray, as the shooter, and that Mr. Ray was set up to take the blame. [...]

Like many who came before him in the true spirit of peace and brotherly love for all humanity, MLK was murdered by the power of the establishment his message had threatened, showing once again that true love of humanity is the greatest threat to power structures everywhere. Like Jesus and Gandhi who both had enormous influences on his life; as a great purveyor of the message of universal love and absolute nonviolence as the solution to violence, oppression and injustice; he was killed by the very system of violence which his peaceful message had threatened to destroy.

The greatest threat to the most corrupt systems of evil, the most violent institutions, and the most powerful empires is not violent insurrection or civil war, but nonviolent revolution waged by the masses united in the spirit of peace. MLK understood this great truth that still to this day only few seem to understand: that violence only begets violence, revenge fuels more revenge, and the seed of hatred sown in the hearts of men will only develop into a greater hatred among men in the future, like a tree as its fruit grows and ripens. And not only did he understand it, he preached the message of peace and love of fellow humans as the solution it truly is. And not only did he preach this message, he also practices what he preached and gave his life for it.

MLK understood that as long as men anywhere are oppressed, no man anywhere is truly free. "An injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere," he said.

He had hope that one day peace and justice would prevail, no matter how dark the world seemed at the time:

"I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never be a reality... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final say."

And although we seem just as stuck in a state of perpetual warfare and political division, we must never give up fighting for truth and peace. Indeed, if humanity does not eventually unite as brothers, we will end up destroying ourselves:

"We must learn to live together as brothers, or we will perish together as fools."

It is possible, because love can overcome both fear and hatred, and with love as our foundation humanity can live in peace. "Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend." This truth can be seen in the amazing story of the Christmas Truce of 1914, which demonstrates that when people give peace a chance, our 'enemies' can quickly be transformed into friends, and war is therefore good for nothing but for the greedy racketeers profiting off of them.

MLK understood that even the deepest darkness in this world serves a purpose, for "Only in the darkness can you see the stars," and yet still gave his whole life even to his death shining the light into that darkness with the goal of eventually eradicating it completely. He understood that fear is humanity's greatest enemy, and love was the solution:

"Men often hate each other because they fear each other."
[...]
"Hate is rooted in fear, and the only cure for fear-hate is love…

Hatred and bitterness can never cure the disease of fear; only love can do that. Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illumines it."
[...]
Is there a cure for these annoying fears that pervert our personal lives? Yes, a deep and abiding commitment to the way of love. ‘Perfect love casteth out fear.’"

He anticipated that he would be killed by those whom his message of peace, love, justice and freedom for all threatened, and yet he didn't stop spreading the message until that day arrived. Soon after the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963, King told his wife, Coretta Scott King, "This is what is going to happen to me also. I keep telling you, this is a sick society." Five years later he was assassinated, just like JFK, for peacefully standing in opposition to the system he deemed the “greatest purveyor of violence on earth,” the US government and its mighty military empire, US, Inc.

In both word and deed, Martin Luther King, Jr. stood as a beacon of light in a world of darkness, showing mankind a way out of its misery and oppression. He stood as a courageous leader of a nonviolent revolution. His message is still just as true and powerful as it was then, and the evil forces of darkness that he threatened then are still alive and well today, thriving off the fear and greed of the mindless masses they have deceived. May his message one day lead humanity to true peace and freedom, and may the nonviolent revolution he ignited one day be won by the American People.

MLK's powerful last speech given the day before his assassination can be seen below:

We the People have the power. On the day enough of us realize our true power, and break ourselves free from the invisible chains that bind us, the entire system of violent oppression will collapse, without a single shot being fired.