MLK Jr.: The resistance continues

Hosted by:

Paul Roland

Produced by:

KBOO

Program::

Wednesday Talk Radio

Air date:

Wed, 04/04/2018 - 8:00am to 9:00am

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On the 50th anniversary of King's assassination, we talk about Portland teacher Chris Riser, the new Poor People's Campaign, and more

Opening song: "Just Another Holy Man," by Floyd Red Crow Westerman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bC3rfZ_1ZLA

On the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., host Paul Roland talks with listeners about ongoing actions and movements of resistance and reads from selected articles. To start, he discusses the fall-out over Portland teacher Chris Riser's walkout with his Ockley Green Middle School students last month in a Black Lives Matter protest. https://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2018/04/02/19785854/ockley-green-students-protest-removal-of-beloved-teacher

https://www.opb.org/news/article/ockley-middle-school-chris-riser-portland-oregon-black-lives-matter/

He also reads from an article from Truthout ("To Honor King, Let's Work to End Racial Capitalism") on the Resist, Reimagine, Rebuild (R3) Coalition in Chicago, which says, "What is needed is a broad-based coalitional effort to combat not only street violence, school violence and sexual violence -- all of which are absolutely concerns of our communities -- but also state violence."

Two callers talked about the new Poor People's Campaign spearheaded by the Rev. William Barber of North Carolina's Moral Mondays fame. People in Portland and around Oregon are organizing, along with groups across the country, leading up to 40 days of actions from Mothers' Day to the Summer Solstice (May 14 to June 21). https://www.facebook.com/OregonPPC/

https://poorpeoplescampaign.org/

http://news.streetroots.org/2018/03/30/50-years-after-kings-assassination-his-poor-people-s-campaign-re-emerges

Paul also reads from an article about a resurgence of the "religious left" in the U.S. in response to Trumpism and the general state of affairs. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-religion/religious-left-emerging-as-u-s-political-force-in-trump-era-idUSKBN16Y114

Other articles previewed for the program:

https://www.ajamubaraka.com/the-assassination-of-dr-king-and-the-suppression-of-the-antiwar-and-peace-perspectives/

https://www.blackagendareport.com/assassinations-hyper-surveillance-and-harassment-blacks-just-business-usual-law-enforcement

And finally, Paul suggests some readings on the Cult of Capitalism in the interest of collective political education:

http://www.kollectiv.co.uk/Capitalism%20As%20Cult.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/19/books/review/the-money-cult-by-chris-lehmann.html

https://www.commondreams.org/views/2013/01/21/extremist-cult-capitalism

http://www.heathwoodpress.com/walter-benjamins-capitalism-religion-chance-freedom/

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-cult-of-capitalism-and-us-moral-decline-2013-05-29