The Baltimore Riot and the Death of Martin Luther King

March 30 – April 5, 2008 Realside COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL: MAY NOT BE FURTHER REPRODUCED WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER The Baltimore Riot America. Dr. King did not die because of some Around Town isolated violent red neck lined him up in a rifle with Erika Woodward and the Death of sight. James Earl Ray no more planned and by Erika Woodward carried out the murder of Dr. King than I did. Baltimore Times The government of the United States killed Dr. Martin Luther King King and used Ray as a patsy. First of all, King Baltimore 68: Riots and Rebirth was criticized by the media for his first choice Part I: Beginning in the devastating hours following of a hotel in Memphis, and he stayed at the the assignation of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., by R.B. Jones Lorraine to quell criticism. Prior to Dr. King's the city of Baltimore was rocked by riots and assassination, a black detective who was Baltimore Times rebellions for two tumultuous weeks. Those assigned to King's security and surveillance dark days of April 1968 left six dead, hundreds was ordered to stay at home that day. He I don't know if it is safe for me to write this of properties in ruins and forced then governor probably knew one of the local police sharp column. A couple of years ago, I was dubbed Spiro Agnew to deploy thousands of armed shooters used in the assassination. “The Angriest Black man in Print” by the City National Guard Troops to the city. With the Paper and angry black men are not in vogue James Earl Ray was a petty criminal who never country already reeling, Baltimore gained the these days. This is the era of pabulum, Barack showed much imagination or cleverness. Yet, attention of President Lyndon Johnson, who Obama platitudes about equal grievances and the public is supposed to believe that he killed called for the addition of Army troops. equal culpability in the racial divide between King and was clever enough to escape to African-Americans and whites. I, England, where he got caught because he For the 40th Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther unfortunately, am angrier now than when I attempted to pull a small robbery. All the men King's death, the University of Baltimore will won the City Paper award. whose names he used on fake passports, offer a comprehensive examination of the riots, I guess it has to do with Obama and his including one in Canada, all looked like Ray. including their cause and short and long term followers' attempt to insist that this is a post- How did he, acting alone match the fake consequences, through April 5. The conference racial America when the very obvious facts passports so well? He was the decoy to cover features lectures, forums and more from. Learn contradict that fairy tale. But perhaps I am a up the real culprits. more and register online at www.ubalt.edu, grumpy old relic of the 1960s, like Obama's 410-837-5340. Prior to King's assassination, FBI Director J. former pastor Jeremiah Wright, and I should be Edgar Hoover wrote a famous memo saying In much of the talk about the 40th anniversary relegated to the category of cranky old uncle that his agency would prevent the rise of a of King's murder, there is discussion about frothing at the mouth over long dead messiah figure who could unite the black whether his dream has been fulfilled and how grievances. I don't think so! freedom movement. He mentioned Malcolm much progress has been made. King's latter I have been angry this past week because of X, whom the FBI assassinated three years day dreams were the elimination of poverty two things. There is the distortion about the before. Hoover said it was his intention to keep and a reduction of the bloated military budget. 40th anniversary of the assassination of Martin the black groups from uniting and that effort He supported a guaranteed minimum income Luther King Jr. and there is the great distortion the COINTELPRO (Counterintelligence for all citizens and medical care for all people. about the riot of 1968 in the city. It is ironic Program) used assassination, slander in the King said that not only should there be a that, at the time of the anniversary of the media, repeated false arrests, psychological redistribution of wealth in the society, but also murder of Dr. King, there is a post-racial warfare and brutality against the Black a change in the moral perspective of the nation candidate for president in Barack Obama. I Panthers and other groups. The agency taped which he described as “the greatest purveyor have been castigated countless times because I King having extra-marital sex and threatened of violence in the world today.” him with exposure if he did not commit have not jumped on the post-racial bandwagon. It is ironic that in recent days Rev. Jeremiah suicide. They knew he had attempted suicide I am constantly called a hater and a crab in a Wright has been severely criticized for things when he was younger and, if he killed himself, basket trying to pull a brother down. I have that Martin Luther King Jr. said in a slightly their tracks would be covered. also been told to get over my anger about the different manner. Of course, King was a young past. Martin Luther King Jr. was murdered because man when he made his criticism of America, I have no animosity toward Obama. I am post his opposition to the Viet Nam War and his and he still had some optimism that the racial because I feel the same way about him campaign for economic justice threatened the American Empire could be converted to a as I do any pro-war, imperialist, corporate twin pillars of the American Empire military genuine American democratic republic, a lackey politician. I find him occasionally force and economic exploitation, domestic and dream still deferred 40 years later. That is why amusing and always entertaining and foreign. Martin Luther King Jr,. in his later America is still talking about a dialogue about particularly dangerous to the development of evolution, supported reparations for the black race which keeps getting put off each decade. an effective effort to promote an African- victims of American slavery and illegal Jim Dr. King wanted to dialogue about race American agenda or an economic justice Crow segregation. relations, and he got a bullet in the neck for his policy for the country. At a time when military trouble. That's not the kind of dialogue that Dr. King was a Nobel Peace Prize winner and adventurism, corruption and economic will heal this country where truth is often internationally recognized change agent and catastrophe threatens the survival of the regarded as an unwelcome stranger at the gate. nonviolent crusader. He was a moral and American Empire, Obama is talking about organization threat because, even though at the This country's national anthem should be increasing the military by 100,000 and keeping end of his life many had deserted him over fear “Mendacity” by Archie Shepp. After all, I have forces in Iraq, Afghanistan and the hundreds of of opposing America's atrocity in Viet Nam, he seen discussions in the media about the riot of US foreign military bases that are huge still commanded widespread respect and 1968, blaming that uprising for creating racial financial drains. admiration. King had to die and the tensions in the city. More about that gigantic During the anniversary year of Dr. King's government killed him as he was helping lie next week as I give my perspective on the death, Obama is held up as the fulfillment of sanitation workers in Memphis and planning riot that I lived through as a teenager. Dr. King's “I Have a Dream” speech about a for his multiethnic “Poor People's Campaign” colorblind aimed at tying up Washington DC. .

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