Shamelessly exploiting the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King
Earthwalker
April 10, 2008
Some have argued in defense of the erosion of our civil liberties by over simplifying the practice. The talking point has been reiterated: "if you aren't doing anything wrong, you shouldn't have anything to worry about". This argument is factually and historically inaccurate.
On the day that civil rights leader Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. was murdered, I unashamedly want to use him for an example. (Please see my other writings for the article honoring Dr. King)
The civil rights movement of the early 1960's , were the response to oppressive laws and prejudicial practices. (Please visit this page for a summarization of the Jim Crowe laws:
http://www.legal-definitions.com/civil-rights-law/what-are-jim-crow-laws.htm)
Although many of the issues that birthed the movement were concerns of the African American citizens, other significant civil issues were addressed as well. Womens' rights, work place hours and conditions, the draft, the Vietnam war and many other issues that working class citizens of all racial backgrounds protested.
Frustration was brewing amongst the American People of the times, and the people took to the streets. Anti-War marches. Employee strikes. Consumer boycotts. Student/community sit-ins. Non-violent demonstrations. The US Government was forced to pay attention. And pay attention is what OUR government did.
These are exerts from an official inquiry into the Federal Intelligence activity against Dr. King.
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From December 1963 until his death in 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr. was the target of an intensive campaign by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to "neutralize" him as an effective civil rights leader. In the words of the man in charge of the FBI's "war" against Dr. King:
No holds were barred. We have used [similar] techniques against Soviet agents. [The same methods were] brought home against any organization against which we were targeted. We did not differentiate. This is a rough, tough business. 1
The FBI collected information about Dr. King's plans and activities through an extensive surveillance program, employing nearly every intelligence-gathering technique at the Bureau's disposal. Wiretaps, which were initially approved by Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, were maintained on Dr. King's home telephone from October 1963 until mid-1965; the SCLC headquarter's telephones were covered by wiretaps for an even longer period. Phones in the homes and offices of some of Dr. King's close advisers were also wiretapped. The FBI has acknowledged 16 occasions on which microphones were hidden in Dr. King's hotel and motel rooms in an "attempt" to obtain information about the "private activities of King and his advisers" for use to "completely discredit" them. 2
FBI informants in the civil rights movement and reports from field offices kept the Bureau's headquarters informed of developments in the civil rights field. The FBI's presence was so intrusive that one major figure in the civil rights movement testified that his colleagues referred to themselves as members of "the FBI's golden record club." 3
The FBI's formal program to discredit Dr. King with Government officials began with the distribution of a "monograph" which the FBI realized could "be regarded as a personal attack on Martin Luther King," 4 and which was subsequently described by a Justice Department official as "a personal diatribe ... a personal attack without evidentiary support." 5
Congressional leaders were warned "off the record" about alleged dangers posed by Reverend King. The FBI responded to Dr. King's receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize by attempting to undermine his reception by foreign heads of state and American ambassadors in the countries that be planned to visit. When Dr. King returned to the United States, steps were taken to reduce support for a huge banquet and a special "day" that were being planned in his honor.
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Another exert: (also located at the above link. Further down the page)
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The FBI's effort to discredit Dr. King and to undermine the SCLC involved plans touching on virtually every aspect of Dr. King's life. The FBI scrutinized Dr. King's tax returns, monitored his financial affairs, and even tried to establish that he had a secret foreign bank account. Religious leaders and institutions were contacted in an effort to undermine their support of him, and unfavorable material was "leaked" to the press. Bureau officials contacted members of Congress, and special "off the record" testimony was prepared for the Director's use before the House Appropriations Committee. Efforts were made to turn White House and Justice Department Officials against Dr. King by barraging them with unfavorable reports and, according to one witness, even offering to play for a White House official tape recordings that the Bureau considered embarrassing to King.
This chapter examines not only the Bureau's efforts to discredit Dr. King, but the degree to which officials in other branches of the Government were responsible for those actions.
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Another exert:
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In December, 1963 -- three months after Attorney General Kennedy approved the wiretaps -- the FBI, without informing the Attorney General, planned and implemented a secret effort to discredit Dr. King and to "neutralize" him as the leader of the civil rights movement. One of the first steps in this effort involved hiding microphones in Dr. King's hotel rooms. Those microphones were installed without Attorney General Kennedy's prior authorization or subsequent notification, neither of which were required under practices then current. The FBI continued to place microphones in Dr. King's hotel rooms until November 1965. Attorney General Katzenbach was apparently notified immediately after the fact of the placement of three microphones between May and November 1965. It is not clear why the FBI stopped its microphone surveillance of Dr. King, although its decision may have been related to concern about public exposure during the Long Committee's investigation of electronic surveillance.
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Another exert:
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In October 1962 the FBI opened its investigation of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and of its president, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The investigation was conducted under an FBI manual provision captioned "COMINFIL" -- an acronym for communist infiltration -- which authorized investigations of legitimate noncommunist organizations which the FBI believed to be influenced by communist party members in order to determine the extent of the alleged communist influence. 23 These wide-ranging investigations were conducted with the knowledge of the Attorney General and were predicated on vague executive directives and broad statutes. 24
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Another exert:
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The FBI kept close watch on Dr. King and the SCLC long before opening its formal investigation. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover reacted to the formation of the SCLC in 1957 by reminding agents in the field of the need for vigilance:
In the absence of any indication that the Communist Party has attempted, or is attempting, to infiltrate this organization you should conduct no investigation in this matter. However, in view of the stated purpose of the organization, you should remain alert for public source information concerning it in connection with the racial situation.
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My Last point:
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On July 17, the President announced at a news conference:
We have no evidence that any of the leaders of the civil rights movement in the United States are Communists. We have no evidence that the demonstrations are Communist-inspired. There may be occasions when a Communist takes part in a demonstration. We can't prevent that. But I think it is a convenient scapegoat to suggest that all of the difficulties are Communist and that if the Communist movement would only disappear that we would end this. 87
On July 23, Robert Kennedy sent to the Commerce Committee the Justice Department's response to the queries of Senators Monroney and Magnuson:
Based on all available evidence from the FBI and other sources, we have no evidence that any of the top leaders of the major civil rights groups are Communists, or Communist controlled. This is true as to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., about whom particular accusations were made, as well as other leaders.
It is natural and inevitable that Communists have made efforts to infiltrate the civil rights groups and to exploit the current racial situation. In view of the real injustices that exist and the resentment against them, these efforts have been remarkably unsuccessful. 88
The two communications above, concluded that the accusations leading to the extraordinary amount of federal activity, were wrong. Therefore, we can rationally conclude that it was a monumental mistake. However, when one reads for themselves the extent that the federal intelligence agencies went in their efforts, one should be extremely uncomfortable with the idea that these actions were taken "before" an extensive effort to confirm or refute the evidence.
What is even more alarming is the admission by the FBI that they spied on Loretta King for an additional four years after Dr. Kings' death.
The following can be attributed to Caroline Fredrickson, director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office:
"The governmentīs spying on Coretta Scott King is despicable, but it unfortunately isnīt a surprise. When government agencies are given free rein to spy on Americans, they will inevitably use their power to suppress free speech for political reasons instead of averting real threats. We canīt trust the government to have this much power over our lives, and the FBIīs guidelines for spying must be rewritten with our freedom in mind. Political thought and freedom of speech canīt flourish with the government hovering over us."
Finally, the point I am making is the unlawful and incoherent policy regarding domestic spying, is a direct conflict to the premise of democracy.
The actions of Dr. King and those associated with the civil rights movement was a responsible effort by American citizens to address injustices. Though they were considered a threat and treated as an enemy of the state.
It is important to point out that the actions and policy against the Civil Rights movement were attributed to a very small group of actors. Unfortunately, it doesn't take but a few ill-informed, irresponsible or ill-intentioned persons to create a dangerous policy. We must think ahead. We must look back. We must realize how power can be and has been misused.
If you support the notion that, 'just keep your nose clean and you won't have to worry' thus allowing officials in power to discern the criteria that constitutes 'a dirty nose', you might not have thought about the future ramifications of such a policy. It is likely that in a future administration, the ideology you've chosen becomes the minority. You may want to address an issue that conflicts with those empowered. You could be considered a threat. And though you may not garner the attention of numerous federal agencies, you may raise the suspicion of agents seeking dissenters. One day you may oppose an immigration policy or a military draft involving offspring or a policy associated with oil prices. One day you may want to tell your congressman that he or she should consider your position. One day you may need to be reassured that as a citizen in this democracy, your opinion is valid and will not become a reason for unwarranted suspicion.