Thank you for the two stories remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr (Aug. 25 and Aug. 26).
My master's thesis published at Iowa State analyzed how the New York Times reported King in the 1960s; to the Register’s credit, unlike the Times that ridiculed King in his last year, you quote King's prophetic warning in Iowa that this country was building “an empire of military bases.”
King's alarm — what he described as “the evil of militarism” — is ringing loud; our military adventures are so difficult to explain in terms of rationale, that few try or are even asked.
The doctrinal system equates patriotism synonymous with militarism; this is a far cry from the intellect of a King or even James Madison, who stated that a people cannot exist both ignorant and free.
In an Iowa classroom, I was brought to tears last week by a white woman who cut through the clutter and said in front of everybody that we have buried Dr. King.
As I thought about it, I decided citizens have not had the last word, yet.
— Jeffrey J. Weiss, Catholic Peace Ministry, director, Des Moines
My master's thesis published at Iowa State analyzed how the New York Times reported King in the 1960s; to the Register’s credit, unlike the Times that ridiculed King in his last year, you quote King's prophetic warning in Iowa that this country was building “an empire of military bases.”
King's alarm — what he described as “the evil of militarism” — is ringing loud; our military adventures are so difficult to explain in terms of rationale, that few try or are even asked.
The doctrinal system equates patriotism synonymous with militarism; this is a far cry from the intellect of a King or even James Madison, who stated that a people cannot exist both ignorant and free.
In an Iowa classroom, I was brought to tears last week by a white woman who cut through the clutter and said in front of everybody that we have buried Dr. King.
As I thought about it, I decided citizens have not had the last word, yet.
— Jeffrey J. Weiss, Catholic Peace Ministry, director, Des Moines
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