Democracy Now! January 21, 2002

9:13 CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS SPEAK ON KINGS LEGACY: CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE, A COMMITMENT TO CONSCIENCE, AND REFUSING TO BOW TO WHAT IS UNJUST Hundreds of people descended on the MacDill Airforce Base in Tampa, Florida on Saturday, to protest the US war in Afghanistan. It was the largest protest in the area since September 11. Organizers planned the protest to coincide with the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.. King is known as the greatest civil rights activist this country has ever seen, but is lesser known for his opposition to the Vietnam War. Today, on the federal holiday recognizing Kings birthday, were joined by Omali Yeshitela, chairman of the Florida Alliance for Peace and Social Justice.GUEST: OMALI YESHITELA, chairman of the Florida Alliance for Peace and Social Justice; founder and chairman of the African Peoples Socialist Party; founder and leader of the Uhuru movement . At a rally and town hall discussion this weekend in Washington DC called Dr. Kings Legacy: Protecting Civil Liberties in the Wake of September 11th, the Reverend Al Sharpton spoke about Kings legacy. GUEST: REVEREND AL SHARPTON, president of National Action Network 9:13-9:20 BUT IF HE DOESNT DELIVER US, WE STILL ARE NOT GOING TO BOW: THE WORDS OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. In his radio address this weekend, President Bush declared: "Americans can proudly say that we have overcome the institutionalized bigotry that Dr. King fought." But while Dr Martin Luther King Jr.s birthday is commemorated with a national holiday, and his message of nonviolent action for civil rights is widely celebrated, the US has failed to learn from many of the teachings of Martin Luther King. Later in the program, well hear from controversial actor/activist Danny Glover, who has consistently come under criticism for saying that the United States is "one of the main purveyors of violence in this world." This is a claim that King himself made, when he criticized the U.S. war in Vietnam. We heard part of that speech on Democracy Now! last week. For Martin Luther King, a commitment to conscience often meant going against the tide of public opinion, but always refusing to bow to that which is unjust. In 1967, King gave this speech on civil disobedience before his congregation at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, just five months before he was assassinated. Its called But if Not. TAPE: DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., speaking at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, 1967 9:20-9:21 ONE MINUTE MUSIC BREAK 9:21-9:37 BUT IF NOT: THE WORDS OF MARTIN LUTHER KING CONTD 9:37-9:38 ONE MINUTE MUSIC BREAK 9:38-9:56 ACTOR/ACTIVIST DANNY GLOVER DELIVERS A CONTROVERSIAL SPEECH IN CALIFORNIA: "IF HE WERE ALIVE TODAY, MARTIN LUTHER KING WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN INVITED TO HIS OWN CELEBRATION" On Saturday, actor/activist Danny Glover spoke before almost a thousand enthusiastic supporters at a celebration for the Reverend Dr Martin Luther King in Modesto, California. But outside the Christ Unity Baptist Church, a handful of protesters were a reminder that the town that Glover was not fully welcome. Glover was yanked from the roster of speakers after criticizing President Bush at a November talk at Princeton University. I spoke to Danny Glover last week, the night before Kings actual birthday, January 15th. That historic day was also the first day after the Pacifica national board meeting, when the banned, fired and exiled were returned to WBAI. GUEST: DANNY GLOVER, actor and activist 9:56-9:58 FINAL WORDS FROM DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. 9:58-9:59 OUTRO AND CREDITS