"Ask not what your country can do for you -
ask what you can do for your country"
- John F. Kennedy
I was recently on a road
trip in which among several popular locations, I covered two assassination locations
which perhaps, not only changed the face of US, but also the entire world. Though
I had read a lot of material regarding both, Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) and
John F. Kennedy’s (JFK) assassinations, visit to the locations did highlight an
extra point or two which I previously missed out.
While visiting Dealey Plaza,
in Dallas, Texas, I decided to let go all the conspiracy theories (read this
article for conspiracy theories on JFK assassination) and focused on the official
version. On the fatal day of November 22nd, 1963, JFK was shot dead
by Lee Harvey Oswald acting alone. The official version suggests that this act
was done to express displeasure over JFK’s favoring the civil rights movement.
Soon after his death, rioting began in most parts of the country. At this time,
MLK was instrumental in bringing calm by asking people to focus on, “what killed the president?” rather than
“who killed the president?” This
approach not only restored peace, but also gave a clear vision in the days to
come, as to what the civil rights movement really meant.
Just as the nation had coped
up with JFK’s assassination, barely within 5 years, on April 4th,
1968, MLK was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel, in Memphis, TN. And here too I focused only on the official version
of the turnout of the event. It was concluded that James Earl Ray, a white-supremacist,
killed MLK with intent to put an end to the civil rights movement. Now, more
than 40 years into this event, we all know how people with ideas of James Earl
Ray are perceived in the society.
History has taught us and
provided clear evidence that no one has ever been successful or championed a
cause, just by killing a person with right intentions. However people of conviction
and good intentions have changed the history of mankind, forever. It is said
that MLK once quoted, “Christ gave me the
message and Gandhi gave me the method.” Going by the current outpour of
reactions, I seriously doubt whether people still fervently believe in the path,
shown by Christ and Gandhi or not? Though I hope people will remain committed
to both, the message and the method.
