Independence Day

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at the Ebeneezer Baptist Church in Boston on Independence Day in 1965 . He recognized that America has a "schizophrenic personality, tragically divided against herself." But we are redeemed, he argued, by our creed, expressed in the Declaration of Independence, which manages "to forever challenge us; to forever give us a sense of urgency; to forever stand in the midst of the 'isness' of our terrible injustices; to remind us of the 'oughtness' of our noble capacity for justice and love and brotherhood." Americans, he said, believe in "certain basic rights that are neither derived from nor conferred by the state. . . . They are God-given, gifts from his hands." "You may take my life," King said, "but you can't take my right to life. You may take liberty from me, but you can't take my right to liberty." And this creed of "amazing universalism" calls "America to do a special job for mankind and the world . . . because America is the world in miniature and the world is America writ large."

Comments: 12

Donna M. Jul 4, 2007, 6:06pm EDT

great posting!!

reply to this comment

Don(time to open them FEMA camps) S. Jul 4, 2007, 6:42pm EDT

Thank you .

reply to this comment

Dave A. Jul 4, 2007, 9:20pm EDT

When you quoted King's statement that America has a "schizophrenic personality" it reminded me of his description of racism as a form of "sickness." For example, in his last speech, delivered in Memphis on April 3, 1968, he held that [Memphis] "Mayor Loeb is in dire need of a doctor" and referred to threats from "some of our sick white brothers."

If we could lift the fever of afflictions that obscure a vision of greatness that is the commission of our country, and see with clarity our role in proclaiming the "noble capacity for justice," what heights could America reach? And the world?

reply to this comment

Saira Wasif Jul 4, 2007, 10:19pm EDT

Long live America but please God put some sense in ITS leaders. great post.

reply to this comment

Missy W. Jul 5, 2007, 12:11am EDT

If humans can be said to have a basic instinct beyond that of sheer survival, it must be the 'justice and freedom' inherent in brotherhood. Thank you, Clarke.

reply to this comment

Carol Lloyd Jul 5, 2007, 2:16am EDT

nice image ty

reply to this comment

Jerry Kays Jul 5, 2007, 4:01pm EDT

Dave A said it for me.

reply to this comment

Clarke M. Jul 5, 2007, 5:30pm EDT

"...the nature of power has been changing. I've often said that our defense and intelligence communities are still finely honed for dealing with the military threats of the twentieth century. But, as we are finding in Iraq, we are being wrestled to a draw by opponents who are not even an organized state adversary. Our carrier battle groups, our heavy-tank divisions, our satellite imaging systems—all the pillars of our ability to project power to contain and beat back the challenges of a conventional superpower rival—aren't of much use.

We live in a time when conflict is now much more likely to be waged within states—particularly as a state collapses—or between a state and non-state actors. And the stresses the global system has been subjected to will only increase as larger portions of the developing world—especially Latin America, Africa and the vast interiors of the major Asian powers like China and India—become integrated into the global system. And as we've seen, even in a country like Iraq, the United States—on its own—cannot secure every border, inspect every cargo, staff every school, man every checkpoint. Increasingly, power, in a broad sense, resides more in the collectivity of states rather than in the hands of any individual power.

The world is not susceptible to U.S. domination—but without U.S. leadership not much can be achieved."
- "The Dispensable Nation?," Brent Scowcroft . He served as national security advisor to Presidents Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush.

reply to this comment