"Beyond Vietnam" (by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)

Submitted by nycpf on Thu, 01/09/2020 - 8:05am

As we mark the MLK Day, we'll read and discuss "Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence" (circa April 1967).

It can be accessed from various sources online, including at the following link below:

(Note: the audio version of the speech can be accessed from the same webpage).

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Some questions worthy of further exploration:

- Who is the intended audience of the speech, and has he pursued the audience?

- Do you find the moral, philosophical, and religious references to be relevant and persuasive?

- Does the philosophy of "nonviolence movement" have any universal appeal or virtues?

- What was the impetus for Dr. King's evolution of civic activism from Civil Rights to foreign affairs?

- Does the speech appeal across today's ideological boundaries, namely the Left and the Right?

- Is the speech still relevant in today's society? If so, how?

IMPORTANT: the reading assignment is mandatory, if you wish to attend.

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Previous MLK Day discussions: