Day 16: Man of Peace in a Time of War

Man, the week has flown by. I've been so wrapped up in looking for second jobs I haven't had time to post. Why can't I get paid to just watch documentaries all day??

In honor of the recent holiday I watched a Martin Luther King Jr. documentary. This was an interesting holiday for me. I came into it with an unusual amount of enthusiasm; I really wanted to do something to honor MLK, which is not something I usually do. I spent most of the day watching youtube clips of his speeches and reading quotes. It felt good to actually use the day for its intended purpose and not just enjoying an extra day off. 

The doc I watched was pretty basic, providing a straightforward account of MLK's life and times. Though he's been a constant figure in all my history classes growing up, I can admit there was a lot I didn't know about his life. 

What I learned: An expanded understanding of his overall views. To call him an "black rights" advocate is really selling him short. King was fighting for rights of people everywhere, and black rights just happened to be how he gained national attention. He had pretty strong opinions on the Viet Nam war, and the American poor. 

What I liked: There's an awesome full length interview with King from the Mike Douglas show from 1967 where he really lays out his views on the Viet Nam war. Hearing him speak for a long period of time really showcases his intelligence and charisma. It's easy to get sucked into one of his grandiose speeches, but to hear him speak in normal conversation and still be moved is pretty impressive. 

What I didn't like: Not much not to dislike. I would have liked to see more of his relationship with Malcolm X, and how King responded to X's claims that King was an Uncle Tom figure who helped propagate the problems of African Americans by not outwardly defying dominant white culture. I'm sure there's a doc out there about that though. 

Watching 1 documentary about MLK is not enough. I think our country really needs to start taking this day more seriously as an opportunity to honor not only the man, but the ideas he pursued. 

Here's the documentary: 

Man of Peace

And here's the interview portion from the Mike Douglas show: 

And finally, here's a short joke from the good doctor: