Listening to the radio yesterday, I heard a rebroadcast of Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous antiwar speech "Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence". As I listened, I was stunned that I had never heard this speech before.

His words resonated down through the years - seeking peace and social reform on an unprecedented level. After calling for an end to aggression in Vietnam, he blasted the United States for its Imperialist stance in other countries - naming Peru, Cambodia, Guatemala and Venezuela. He called for America to become a "person-oriented" society, rather than a "thing-oriented" consumer culture. And finally, he called for a "revolution of values" - in hopes that core priority changes would bring about a long-needed social revolution.

This speech occurred in the years between MLK's seminal civil rights work and his death.....a period of almost three years that is largely ignored in history. Why? Because he had crossed the line - and began to promote social revolution. Despite the many detractors that branded him as unamerican or communist, he continued to hammer away at the root of the problem - until his life was cut short.

Now, I better understand why he was assassinated.
He had become too dangerous.

In other, more pressing news....

Go Hugo! Venezuelan National Guard troops seize a Coca-Cola plant to ease the food shortages caused by the U.S.-sponsored general strikes. Remember? The oil and food suppliers (in the pocket of the United States) are trying to force the people into overthrowing their democratically elected leader. When the people seize back the means of production, things tend to change. It will be interesting if we don't start seeing U.S. combat troops in Venezuela. Since the country is the second largest oil importer to the United States....it makes you wonder.

Everyone make sure to get in the streets and speak out tomorrow! The only way that our leaders will listen, is if the people who pay taxes and elect officials rise up and and say "NO!" to the American Imperialist aggression in Iraq and abroad. Use this opportunity to reject the classist policies that are being handed down from the White House! Recognize and expose the lies that have been sold to the American public from an unelected administration.

The time is NOW.