coldhearted scientist وداد

A Quaker friend sent this message, by an unidentified author, for Martin Luther King Day. I am not a Christian, I have not yet become a pacifist (although I am rather sure that is the most rational path), and my perspective on King’s achievements is different from that of this writer. The message is well worth reading, however, and it is good to know about Bayard Rustin. I am bolding the passages on conscientious objection, which may be of practical use to some readers.

In April of 1967, just a year before his death, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in the majestic Riverside Church on the bank of the Hudson River in Manhattan, announced to the crowded church and to the world, “War is not the answer.” [Note: He had given the same speech earlier that month, in Atlanta. –Z]

In his speeches and writings, Dr. King drew on wisdom found in countless years in many places and times, the power of non-violence. From Tibet to Assisi, Italy, to Pennsylvania, full communities have thrived that were based on a conviction and steady discipline of avoiding violence and violent response. Many groups and individuals have dedicated themselves to the gentler way.

Jesus Christ was a pacifist. His refusal to take up arms against the Romans was one reason Judas Iscariot betrayed Him. Christ taught forgiveness, kindness, and healing.

Before he went to Montgomery, Dr. Martin Luther King earned his Ph.D. in Theology from Boston University. Dr. King was well-versed in the literature of non-violence. In the New Testament, we find the words of Christ, “Those who live by the sword, die by the sword,” and “Resist not evil.” The teachings of Jesus are reaffirmed in the Epistles of St. Paul. As much as possible, Christians avoided military service for over three hundred years.

Dr. King was also familiar with the teachings of Gandhi, a Hindu who called his government to follow religious principles of the highest nature. Tragically killed in 1947, Gandhi brought to the attention of western civilization values found in the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount.

Connecting Dr. King with Gandhi was Bayard Rustin, a gay, Black Quaker and a conscientious objector who served in prison rather than war. Rustin studied in India with Gandhi, and in Montgomery introduced King to the method of application of the principles of non-violence to a political struggle. Bayard Rustin is credited with being “the one who organized the March on Washington,” meaning he had the friends and networks and energy to bring that many people together at one time and place, on behalf of Dr. King and the Cause.

In France, far removed from discussions of theology, Jean-Paul Sartre, the Existentialist and atheist, wrote a play for the stage of Paris during the war in Vietnam. His play brought to a modern setting the earliest Greek tragedy, Antigone. The ancient story of a brave woman who stood up to a king and his law, the play affirmed that there are principles of a higher level than any single government.

Although Sartre’s religious ideas differed radically from those of Dr. King, the common ground of discussing, at roughly the same time, avoidance of violence demonstrates that the principle reaches people of faith and people of conscience of all kinds.

Accordingly, to register a claim of Conscientious Objection with the Department of Defense, proving a religious basis for refusal to take human life is not necessary. What is needed is a deep, core, personal conviction that has been recorded and demonstrated in a clear and convincing way for a suitable period of time by the person seeking Conscientious Objector status.

Today, the draft is being discussed. Many websites discuss the role of the draft, as well as the rights of those who choose to serve. The GI Rights Hotline is a good place to begin. If the draft were to be reinstated, one would want a record of one’s thoughts and feelings beforehand, whatever one’s decisions might be. Each individual must decide where the line falls between aggression and defense. Women should also consider these matters, as many feel that if there were to be a draft, it would not be gender-exclusive.

It is important to remember that those who refuse service in war do and should support the health and well-being of those who choose to fight and their families. Promised benefits from the government should be fulfilled. Adequate physical and psychological medical care must be given.

Yet, we cannot restrict our study of non-violence to wars abroad. Here in the U.S., we have some of the highest levels of gun violence of any place in the world. Here in Louisiana, we lead the way. Is it coincidence that Louisiana also has the highest level per capita of gun ownership? Guns don’t cause violence, but they sure do make it easier to hurt more people more seriously. The presence of a gun makes a violent act far riskier. Surely, we should have concern and involvement in lowering family violence, just as we do in mitigating the harsh impact of war.

Each of us learns in our daily lives that “A cheerful answer turneth away wrath,” as Proverbs says. From our closest relationships, to crime in our communities, to wars in foreign lands, we all have a grave interest in creating harmony. Peace is a daily effort and achievement.

Dr. Martin Luther King had more effect on the western hemisphere in the twentieth century than any other philosopher. He held no elective office. He did not have money, social prestige, or political power. His only way to change the world was through the influence of his words. This is what philosophers everywhere seek to do: influence others, usually with words, to seek reason, rhetoric, dialogue, as well as truth and valid conclusions. Dr. King used words alone to influence others. He saved this great country from an even more violent racial divide and encouraged all of us to seek a higher ground.

We are all grateful for the extended lessons in non-violent action given to us by the words and life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. His words remind us that in government, each of our political parties must continue to protect and support people of conscience and freedom of religion. In our personal lives, every day we have the chance and the choice to follow in his footsteps and seek the gentler path.

Axé.