POLITICS AND NATURE

In his address to the joint session of Congress, President Johnson made one of the most eloquent, unequivocal, and passionate pleas for human rights ever made by a president of the United States. He revealed a great understanding of the depth and dimension of the problem of racial justice. His tone and his delivery were disarmingly sincere. His power of persuasion has been nowhere more forcefuly seen. We are happy to know that our struggle in Selma has gone far beyond the issue of the right ot vote and has focused the attention of the nation on the vital issue of equality in human rights.  Martin Luther King Jr. originally published in the Saturday Review, April 3, 1964.

The Battle Over the Past

I hate to plead a certain amount of ignorance regarding the race battle elevated, it appears, by the media between the Obama and Clinton campaigns. What I do know is somehow Hillary was quoted as saying Dr. King motivated people but Lyndon Johnson's leadership was necessary to get the Civil Right's Acts passed in the mid-sixties. Whoa, many pundits and members of the black leadership couldn't believe she downplayed King's role in history......She didn't do anything of the kind. I wrote recently if there was no controversy, the media would create it and it seems to me, that's what they have done here.

I'm not a fan of Lyndon Johnson. He escalated the war in Vietnam and lied to the nation about it, he listened to J. Edgar's creepy tapes, and he ducked out of the presidency and slunk back to Texas like a coward leaving a mess for the nation and his successor, who turned out to be more ghoulish and menacing than Johnson's wildest fantasies. This being said, Johnson ushered Civil Rights legislation through the Congress and Hillary Clinton was correct in her assessment of the situation. Johnson was a master of the legislative process and his arm twisting, cajolling, and outright bribery is fascinating to examine. And he was on the side of Civil Rights, much to the chagrin of Democratic Machine politicians at the time. Martin Luther King Jr. Knew who Johnson was but Johnson helped him achieve some of his goals.

She would not be stupid enough to question the role of Dr. King in moving the nation forward and anyone attacking her for doing so is full of it. Not to mention, anyone who has paid attention to her over the past sixteen years she's been at the center of national public life and who knows anything about her history (and who is not tainted with some unknown, bizarre, and unreasonable hatred for the name of Clinton) knows its a bogus tale and a ridiculous elevation of a non-story.

That's it for me about this. I'm sure the race card will be played over and over as the race gets tighter and the candidates and their surrogates feel the sweat of impending doom. I believe either candidate will be positive for the nation and proactive in dealing with issues, but I feel pretty sure neither of them wants to lose and anything.....read ANYTHING....which will turn a few votes will take precedence over the normal everyday, especially with a 24 hour news cycle full of wolves hungry for red meat.