Power of Non-Violence

On 4 June 1957 , Martin Luther King Jr. gave a speech by that title at the University of California at Berkley. MLK, jr. was but 28 at the time. I was but 20 and serving in the U.S. Army in West Germany . In his speech , King noted that modern psychology was quite fond of the word 'maladjusted'.

While King agreed that it was well and proper to live well adjusted lives and to do what is necessary to avoid acquiring neurotic personalities , at the same time he cited some aspects of of our social order and society that he was personally proud of being maladjusted to and urged others to be maladjusted as well. He certainly never was going to adjust himself to segregation and discrimination  and was not going to adjust to mob rule. And he  was proud of the fact that he never intended to adjust himself to physical violence and to tragic militarism. He called upon all of us to continue to be maladjusted to such things.

He said " I call upon you to be as maladjusted as Amos who in the midst of the injustices of his day cried out in words that echo out across the generation." Let judgement run down like waters and righteoussness like a mighty stream." As maladjusted as Jefferson , who in the midst of an age amazingly adjusted to slavery could cry out " All men are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights and that among them are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

In recent memory , President Ford outlawed assassination as an instrument of American policy. But then 9/11 occured and President Bush pulled the gloves off and gave the CIA the green light to do whatever is necessary . Lethal operations that were unthinkable prior to 9/11 are now underway everyday. I know in my heart that Martin Luther King Jr. would call upon President Obama and all of the American people to never adjust to a state policy of assassination as a tool of government .