MLK assassination

[u2spirit]

I watched a documentary on the history channel about MLK's killing last night. There was a lot I didn't know about it. What are some of your thoughts and theories about it?

[Stop_the_War]

1. THE CIA WAS INVOLVED !!! n/t

[mopinko]

2. bumped into james earl ray's book the other day

thinking i will pick it up. just had it in my hands long enough to read jesse jackson's quote on the jacket "i always thought that our government was involved."

[bitchkitty]

3. Nothing that I can prove,

but James Earl Ray said he didn't act alone. That by itself means nothing, but Coretta Scott King and the rest of the King family believed him, and forgave him.

The leaders of the left get assassinated when they rock the boat. Coincidence? Maybe, but I doubt it.

[EVDebs]

4. Military intelligence (Army domestic ops) very involved in spying

on MLK more than FBI it seems. This is a major reason the King family supports Wm. Pepper's research into the murder. The pattern reappears in the RFK killing too, as there is a request to keep the Ambassador Hotel from being demolished due to the number of bullet holes found vs. number in Sirhan's gun..."Special Unit Senator" also headed by an LAPD/CIA officer. What was really going on ?

[H2O Man]

5. Correct answer!

Very good. Pepper's research is not 100% accurate, but it is very, very close. Hoover had early on began a process of "shared staff" among the intel community, and had people in the army units "watching" King. In fact, King and Young were targeted to die that day; an off-duty police officer who did not know or appreciate the extent of the plan shot earlier than anticipated.

[biscotti]

6. If you ever get to Memphis

Be sure and go too the Civil Rights Museum that includes the Lorraine Motel on Mulberry Street. I was there about 5 years ago. It was one of the most moving experiences of my life. A very spiritual feeling came over me. You realize what a great man Martin Luther King was. Also the museum expresses the plight of everyone involved and their heroism. What an amazing time in our history.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. Yes that is a neat museum

It looks just like the Lorraine Motel from the outslde. It even has 1960's cars in the lot.

And the museum inside is wonderful.

[shance]

8. Interesting. One of the most important chapters in our history and I know

very little in the scheme of themes.

Seems Americans would benefit from revisiting 1968 and those chapters that greatly effected our country and our party. It's a rather pivotal juncture that I am now reading more about, which we have wanted to move on from without facing it fully.

Americans don't like reality, in part because we are raised on so much fantasy and illusion. Its like junkfood for the soul however, and it's certainly not healthy for us as a species.

I don't think there's anyway to move on from chapters like this unless there is a full 'disrobing' of the truth. It may not be easy but many of our answers and accountability lie within those years and events, where change and positive, creative growth for our world was sabatoged and bodily harmed.

In order to nurture the good in the world, we cannot let evil acts stop progress, creativity and loving acts. Of equal importance, we have to address the wrong thats been done.

Thanks for posting.

[jeffrey_X]

9. Great analysis....

Couldn't agree more.

I've tried to talk to my parents about the "true" history of African Americans on a couple of occassions. My mom's typical response is "why do you want to dwell on the past." They don't even want to know the real truth.

[shance]

10. Thanks. My family is more in that train of thought as well.

No, WE don't want to dwell on it, however, for many Americans, their African American history effects probably every day of their lives. I believe it would effect my daily life.

The death of MLK and Bobby being two months apart is also another monumental loss of two of the greatest leaders that is hardly discussed these days. Most teens probably know anything about it. That is a travesty.

If these had been two Republicans who had been murdered, the corporate oligarchy would most probably be pledging allegiance to them every morning.

I have talked with people that were in their twenties and involved in the anti-war movement back then. April and June of 1968 were two of the darkest months in American history. Alot of people permanently walked away from politics and activism after that. Can you blame them?

Some people sold out to the corporate oligarchy and gave up after both leaders were killed. It was so much, too much at the time for some young spirited people to have to be confronted with. Few of us probably understand how difficult that must have been. What's even worse is how it has been silenced and/or kept essentially out of the media, except for the most general of overviews. The Right wing extremists were victorious in killing the spirits of many that year.

We need to really take a look at how we got here and what we need to learn from our history. I think we can start with JFK and go from there. I believe we have some seriously broken hearts to mend and heal, and some promises to start keeping to our leaders, as well as to each other.