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Ohio Barbarian's avatar

No tribute to MLK, no call to action in his name, is complete without remembering what he had to say about capitalism:

"You can't talk about ending the slums without first saying that profit must be taken out of the slums. You're really tampering and getting on dangerous ground because you are messing with folk then. You are messing with the captains of industry. We are really saying that something is wrong with capitalism."

If you don't talk about capitalism, you are not talking about the cause of our problems.

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Joan Halgren's avatar

Indeed, there are those in Europe today striving to establish a better economic system, based on our Natural world and welcoming diversity of people and place.

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Annemarie Osborne's avatar

Marianne, you are a shining example of the wisdom, courage and love that Dr. King embodied. You inspire us to sustain the vision of a better future for humanity, at a time when it is easy to surrender to despair. Transformation can only come if we are willing to face the unthinkable horrors of our world and ask ourselves how we can forge a path to atonement and reconciliation. Please keep reminding us that goodness, mercy, and love can triumph if we are willing to do our part.

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Juliette Foenander's avatar

It absolutely is. Thank you again for your words and endless courage, continuing to write, read, listen and speak, to get the word out, taking your turn. It gives me courage and hope because I’m not famous, a published author or speaker but I want to take my turn but don’t have the platform. I keep thinking of your piece of writing, ‘Our Deepest Fear’, because I feel at times I am scared…not that I am inadequate but that I am ‘powerful beyond measure’ and frightened by my ‘light’ and I’m not sure why. Your continued writing, meetings and clips give me courage to continue stepping up. Thank you, Marianne 💝

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Catini's avatar

I recommend the book "Brothers in the Beloved Community" about his deep friendship with Thich Nhat Hanh 🙏

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Marilyn Strozak's avatar

I didn’t know about this. Thank you, Catini, for sharing. I just ordered the book!

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Ruth Deaville's avatar

Thank you so much for this very important reminder. His vision is True and is the only way to redemption and renewal. And you embody that Marianne. Many blessings to you and to all mankind <3

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Jill Perin's avatar

You continue to remind us of our obligation to carry on Dr. Kings message. You have made me awaken to the idea that being spiritual is not being quiet, but speaking the truth and walking the talk. Thank you for this article today and for your dedicated leadership .

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Joan Halgren's avatar

Great Jill! We need folks to speak truth to power and walk the talk! You can do this and it will help our world. Namaste.

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Nancy L's avatar

You honour the great life of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King with your gift of writing. Thank you.

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Gene Paolini's avatar

Thank You Marianne for this insight in to Dr. King. As I get older I truly have grown to understand how wrong so many of my beliefs have been in following a certain ideology of politics for 45+ years.

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Margie's avatar

Thank you Marianne for reminding us that we need to carry on the “dreams” of MLK & others in pursuit of the “promised land.”

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Marilyn Strozak's avatar

Yes, Dr. King’s political vision was a revolutionary notion then, and it remains one today! There are so many fronts for us to carry on the struggle - from fighting for voting rights (which have taken a backslide since Chief Justice John Roberts started dismantling the historic 1965 Voting Rights Act, something that even Republican President-Ronald re-signed into law, saying “the right to vote is the crown jewel of American liberties”); to racial, economic injustice; the military industrial complex (as Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower warned us against its rise); to the Earth itself facing destruction from climate change and/or nuclear destruction; the list goes on. We cannot give up the struggles that Dr. King and so many others fought and died for. There are so many opportunities to remain engaged. I look to name just three courageous voices for social justice who inspire and motivate me: 1) Reverend William Barber’s POOR PEOPLES’ CAMPAIGN, currently rallying for a mass, nonviolent march on DC on June 18, while he says, We are not here for a MOMENT; we are here for a MOVEMENT; 2) Marianne Williamson’s courageously continuing to remain a voice for activism and social justice after mounting a campaign in 2020 for President of the United Stares of America on the revolutionary notion of TURNING LOVE INTO A POLITICAL FORCE; 3) Reverend Jacqui Lewis’ living and preaching “REVOLUTIONARY LOVE” even in the aftermath of her church burning to the ground (her podcast: Love.Period). These are just three among those whose powerful visions uplift me in these tumultuous days and I hope you will share yours as well. There’s something for everyone of us to do if we are to carry on the legacies of Dr. Martin Luther King, as well as those of Jack and Bobby Kennedy, whose assassinations so cruelly attempted to kill their dreams along with them. Not gonna happen! Love you, Marianne, for your always timely - and powerful - messages! 💕💕💕

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Joan Halgren's avatar

Marianne, your words sparked deep memories for me. On the day MLK was murdered in April of 1968, well, I was a young newspaper reporter in the Upper Midwest. I was asked to go into a Black community that day to take a photograph of a house since it was part of a story about dilapitated housing. I didn't want to go on the assignment since it seemed so disrespectful but I had to for my work (so I proceeded with heart-in-hand). Then, just three months later, the candidate I was hoping to elect as our next U.S. president was assissinated: Robert F. Kennedy. On that day, I left my newspaper office, climbed into my car, and drove home--crying all the way. (Bobby's death was really tough to bare for those who watched him being killed on live television. My favorite quote of his remains in my heart forever: "I dream of things that never were and say why not?" (I have lived by RFK's remark because it tells me we can behave in a different manner that uplifts all of our co-inhabitants on Earth!)

Such brave men they were--I miss them all on the public stage. And if MLK were alive today, I think he would add our climate emergency as the fourth 'evil' yet to be resolved.

So, dear Marianne, "It's our turn now." Blessings to you and all readers herein.

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Rich Case's avatar

Like Dr. King, who was assassinated by a racist extremist; Mohandas Gandhi was assassinated by a Hindu extremist who objected to Gandhi's tolerance for the Muslims.

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Larry Gates's avatar

I strongly suspect Dr. King (like President Kennedy) was assassinsted by powers that be in the American government after he started criticizing American imperialism. I think you are right about Gandhi, who I greatly admired, and I am sure your heart is in the right place. My own ethical code is based on MLK, Gandhi, and Jesus.

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Bill Carlson's avatar

I believe your voice is needed on a global scale.

So how does your voice go global - and for a while? May that cause and condition occur.

My part is integrating what you teach. Some takes, some takes work. But I usually feel like I'm putting my mind into a good place when I'm meditating on your work.

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Joan Halgren's avatar

Hey, Bill, I think Marianne's message is already global and growing--many viewers of her work herein are viewed by folks in other countries due to the Internet. Plus, Bill, I concur on your notion of integrating what Marianne teaches. I am working on that in a small river town in Minnesota--I am seeing some positive results but the work is never done. And super that your meditating on her work since her thoughts are quite beautiful and true!

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Rachel's avatar

stunning, thank you

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Larry Gates's avatar

"A dream of racial, political and economic justice; a dream of the beloved community; a dream of a world at peace." Well, Republicans never bought into that dream, but what about Democrats? MLK said we should not judge people by the color of their skin, but Democrats seem to have started a war against white people. As to political justice, Democrats want not free speech but censorship of opposing views. As to economic justice, Democrats abandoned the poor and the working class almost 50 years ago. They look out for the economic interests of professional urban elites. They support and are funded by Wall Street. As to world peace, Democrats regularly increased Trump's already obscene military budget and Biden is intimidating both Russia and China with warships, military bases and missiles. It is significant that MLK, a socialist, never joined the Democratic Party, which is farther to the right today than it was in the 1950s and 1960s.

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Green River's avatar

The lies that obscure Republican fealty to the dollar and Democrats' double dealing for the dollar must be exposed to the light . But the only effective work that can be done is by people with love in our hearts and a faith that we are all equal inheritors of the infinite love of the universe right now and always.

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Larry Gates's avatar

I believe in love, compassion, and justice. I don't believe in any political party.

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Joan Halgren's avatar

Green River and Larry Gates, I applaud your views. Maybe just maybe, our country is ripe for another way of governance beyond our dysfunctional duopoly system! How about one based on love and truth that goes beyond being a mere republic?

I cherish Marianne's views as they seem to harmonize with mine since childhood. People bash the idea of a 'third party' but, perhaps, a new path is the only way we can possibly help preserve our democracy while healing, restoring our divine Mother Earth! (Also, I deeply question having one person sort of lead the nation--an impossible, outmoded task. Wny not have lour abinet members alternate leadership with the people so we have balance and avoid crazy leaders, who only care about their own status over others that's tragic for all.)

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David Lee Kunhardt's avatar

Yes it is our Time marianne!

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