Parts of a speech given by Robert Kennedy on April 05, 1968 the day after MLK's Death
This is a time of shame and sorrow. It is not a day for politics. I have saved this one opportunity, my only event of today, to speak briefly to you about the mindless menace of violence in America which again stains our land and every one of our citizens. It is not the concern of any one race. The victims of the violence are black and white, rich and poor, young and old, famous and unknown. They are, most important of all, human beings whom other human beings loved and needed. No one - no matter where he lives or what he does - can be certain who will suffer from some senseless act of bloodshed. And yet it goes on and on and on in this country of ours. Why? What has violence ever accomplished? What has it ever created? No martyr's cause has ever been stilled by an assassin's bullet. No wrongs have ever been righted by riots and civil disorders. A sniper is only a coward, not a hero; and an uncontrolled, uncontrollable mob is only the voice of madness, not the voice of reason. Whenever any American's life is taken by another American unnecessarily - whether it is done in the name of the law or in the defiance of the law, by one man or a gang, in cold blood or in passion, in an attack of violence or in response to violence - whenever we tear at the fabric of the life which another man has painfully and clumsily woven for himself and his children, the whole nation is degraded Yet we seemingly tolerate a rising level of violence that ignores our common humanity and our claims to civilization alike. We calmly accept newspaper reports of civilian slaughter in far-off lands. We glorify killing on movie and television screens and call it entertainment. We make it easy for men of all shades of sanity to acquire whatever weapons and ammunition they desire. Too often we honor swagger and bluster and wielders of force; too often we excuse those who are willing to build their own lives on the shattered dreams of others. Some Americans who preach non-violence abroad fail to practice it here at home. Some who accuse others of inciting riots have by their own conduct invited them. Some look for scapegoats, others look for conspiracies, but this much is clear: violence breeds violence, repression brings retaliation, and only a cleansing of our whole society can remove this sickness from our soul.
Those words spoken with sorrow, with the goal of awakening the spirit of men and women have so solemnly faded into history like tears in the rain. Today not so unlike the Day after April 4 1968 we find ourselves continually faced with the mindless menace of violence. Somewhere between the day of RFK’s speech (05-04-1968) and today some 41 years later not very much has changed. Yes racial tolerance and acceptance has progressed leaps and bounds. A new Black President was inaugurated only 3 weeks ago, yet we remain to this day a society transfixed and strangled by violence. Somewhere between those ideas and his words, the realization that change towards our fellow man was required we continued just the same to push forward an agenda of violence without consciousness, without relent, with an unmeasurable madness.
Today we are ever more bombarded by the images of war, the acts of terror, the unrelenting images of man mad violence and horror on our TV’s and on the silver screen. Yet no where do we see the outcry to stop the insanity, unless of course you speak of the protests against war and the demand for peace. Yet everywhere else the violence continues and we turn our heads and shun any responsibility. The inner cities, our main streets and our towns are overrun by violence related to drugs, gangs, and gratuitous acts. Who is exactly responsible? Is it those who chose war over peace, bullets over dialogue, hatred over love? Or is it simply us. Yes you and me. Your friends, your family, your community.
Should we blame colour, religion, social classes? Is it fair to point the figure towards one group and claim they are to blame. That we know their values are the ones that create the violence. Most of us know that it is not anywhere that simple. The problem and its depths burrough further then anyone wants or is willing to admit…the problem is in every one of us! Not just in us but part of our fabric. Is it fair to believe that when one speaks out against gratuitous violence or war, or hatred, or racism that they are weak? That perhaps they seek censorship, repression of our control of content. That they wish to take out of the hands of the individual the capacity to decide what they watch, what they see. To dictate what they believe in or value. If one values a future for their children and grandchildren and future generations does that make them right wing or left wing, liberal or conservative? Is it possible to not be guided by any religious or political principals? Is it not righteous anymore to speak in defence of ideology if convinced that it is what’s right? That there is something more at stake.
Is it fair to label as cowards those who do not wish to fight, engage in hatred or do not wish to participate in the voyeurism of violence. We have reached a point where denial no longer justifies the excuse of inaction. Information and technology floods our environment 24-7 without relent. We are as our children are bombarded through the internet, TV, movies, music and newspapers with continual violence. We see it everyday, everywhere. Our children see and experience it everyday. We rent and go to see films that add no value what so ever to our existence. We have become immune to its effects, we have become so numb to it all that we fail in many cases to even recognize it in our mists. We watch with an almost pornographic amazement and profound detachment the daily violence which occurs throughout our world. We then write it off to someone else’s problem, to somewhere else in the world. Even when it occurs right in our own back yard we tell ourselves its isolated and a blip, nothing to worry about…a few days or weeks later we repeat to ourselves the same thing to ease any responsibility to act. We tell ourselves and those who speak out that they can just not watch, they can turn it off, they can chose not to see…that is like saying a blind person should ‘’JUST’’ be able to see…it makes absolutely no sense! Because one ignores it does it make it not there? Does it make it any less real? Or have we developed this mechanism as a way to feel safe, to feel like we in some small way still have some control over the outcome.
So you might be asking what are you advocating Rob? What are you suggesting? What are you proposing? Your some kind of peace activist or censor mongrel aren’t you? Well in fact I’m not, actually I believe in war when the cause is just, I believe in fighting for those who cannot, in defending against tyrants who would take and take at the cost of the innocent. In fact I’m not proposing anything. I’m simply stating the obvious. We need to get involved, we need to denounce the violence in whatever form it manifest itself. Wherever it manifest itself. Regardless of if it is violence against women and children, ethnic violence, religious violence or a war without foundation we need to denounce it. To stand up and speak out, to say words. Its as easy as writing something, as saying ‘’NO’’ next time your kids want to watch the newest version of ‘’My Bloody Valentine’’. It’s as easy as writing to your local politician next time some guy gets 2 years less a day, less good behaviour for savagely beating his wife, girlfriend or child. Its as easy as standing up and protesting against un-just wars (there are actually just wars, Afghanistan being an example). Getting involved isn’t difficult, bringing change is another thing all together. But if your not going to start, who is? If it doesn’t matter to you, then who?
So where are we going? Are things going to fix themselves? No but don’t worry its not our problem its someone else’s. It was on April 4, 1968 and it still is 41 years later on February 10, 2009 so our children will inherit our inaction, our tolerance and our complacency…and that my friends is sad.
