While reading and listening to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s words again in honor of his birthday celebration, I am astounded by his prophetic view of poor people's potential political and social power. I am convinced that his plan to teach and empower the poor and powerless of the Unites States of America and the rest of the world unleash energy that we can only speculate upon. Can you imagine how different our lives would be if poor people organized and won the concessions of employment, living wages, decent affordable housing, safe affordable food, clean water, clean air, access to health care, good education and accountable politicians and fair elections? The move from exploited and disposable to powerful and demanding would make the Arab Spring look like a weak effort. It would be the greatest revolution that the world would ever know!
The power of such a mass movement of poor people would shake the foundations of all institutions that depend upon the status quo and a permanent underclass to use. It is the very reason I strongly believe that Dr. King needed to be attacked, maligned and eventually removed because surely the poor people's campaign would have worked and caught on in every nation on the planet where to quote Fannie Lou Hamer, "We are sick and tired of being sick and tired." Dr. King's focus on the poor was not a singular notion but many veteran Civil Rights activists had come or were coming to the same belief as Dr. King on the next step and direction of the Civil Rights movement. Dr. King was the best known of the activists, with the highest platform to get the message out about an to direct the movement. It also allowed him to be the greatest target. His assassination cut off the spiritual and persuasive commitment to non-violence that Dr. King could provide. His death sealed the fate of the movement that was tried by Rev. Jesse Jackson. Without Dr. King the momentum was lost. The Civil Rights movement next step in harnessing and moving the power of all poor people was never as powerful as the fight for African Americans' civil rights in America.
In honor of those non-violent warriors who are now slipping away into death we must revisit Dr. King's vision of a poor people's movement. It will like the Civil Rights Movement improve the lives of everyone in America and when it expands outward will do the same in every country on the planet. Until we all can live in dignity providing food, clothing and shelter for ourselves, our families and neighbors we must struggle against the few who have the much so that the many can have a share too.
“If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters. This struggle may be a moral one; or it may be a physical one; or it may be both moral and physical; but it must be a struggle.” - Frederick Douglass
