Friday, January 13, 2017

MLK in LA: The Political Casualties of War

I wrote an op-ed piece again in January 2017 for the MLK holiday.  It is published by truthout.org.  I invite response and discussion on this blog.  In part the essay says:


The use of war in international relations is one of the contested issues in American politics.  Will a new US administration in 2017 scrap the negotiated agreement with Iran to halt its nuclear development program in favor of a military attack?  Will reductions in nuclear weapons be reversed in preference for a new round of weapons development?
As the pendulum swings in a politically polarized and disillusioned electorate, many Americans yearn for a reliable and firm foundation for governance of the nation.  Each January we have an opportunity to remember the prophetic wisdom of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and consider his words and actions as a beacon across our conflicted landscape. 

2 comments:

  1. Dr. King’s decisive words continue to echo through the decades: “A war in which children are incinerated, in which American soldiers die in mounting numbers is a war that mutilates the conscience.” He was concerned about long-term injury to America’s morality. Casualties in terms of basic principles and values were disastrous and injurious: “Indeed they are ultimately more harmful [than body casualties] because they are self-perpetuating. If the casualties of principle are not healed, the physical casualties will continue to mount”. . . through the decades.

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  2. This is Dennis. I am testing the response function of this blog.

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