MLK’s Vietnam Speech

The other day I had the great pleasure of revisiting the landmark speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “Why I Oppose the War in Vietnam.” If nothing else, it’s a reminder of the fact that our focus here on clean energy is, while an important one, only a single piece of a very large puzzle for those of us who concern ourselves with the sustainability of our civilization.  

If the scope of the talk were only about that particular conflict it would have far less impact today, especially since history has long since shown without too much ambiguity that Vietnam was an error on the part of the U.S. But its range encompasses the full set of underpinnings by which our country engages with the rest of the world, and with its own people.

I hope readers will take the 23 minutes required to become completely blown away with these words and the passion and truth behind them. In particular, please note the recurring theme of racism, militarism, and economic exploitation, and realize that these issues are even more intense in today’s world than they were in 1967. Also, it’s hard to overlook the first few words, in which King refers to Dante’s notion that the hottest parts of hell are reserved for those who, in times of moral crisis, remain neutral.

Although I had heard this speech before, the time I spent with it the other day changed my life profoundly. Let it do the same for you.