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Discussion centers around King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail"
James
Shields.
director of
commu
nity learn
ing, explains
the social
importance
of Dr. King's
"Letter from
a Birmingham
Jail" to a
group of
Guilford com
munity mem
bers gathered
for a Jan. 19
discussion in
King Hall.
ByTheo Kogod
Staff Writer
"I am in Birmingham
because injustice is here,"
wrote Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr., on April 16, 1963, in his
"Letter from Birmingham Jail."
Forty-six years later, two states
away, and in a world still not
yet equal, students, faculty,
and alumni sat down to dis
cuss the effect of King's letter
on the American conscious
ness as part of Guilford's cel
ebration of Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr. Day.
"There's a reason why we
have this day, and it's not just
to have another day off," said
James Shields, director of com
munity learning, in explaining
the reason for discussing Dr.
King's letter.
Shields admitted pride in
having lived during the life of
Dr. King, and when speaking
on the letter, said, "I really
rank this document up with the
Declaration of Independence
when looking at how we're
going to be as a country."
Vernie Davis, director of
the peace and conflict studies
program, said the letter might
even surpass the Declaration
of Independence in its impor
tance and value, as the let
ter speaks on behalf of all
Americans as a unified "we."
"Throughout this (letter) we
see the "we," the "we" as a
nation, and it reaches out to
connect people," said Davis,
pointing out how King "really
helped people shift social real-
ity."
One point raised was how
much King's image has trans
formed over the years. Shields
observed that in 1968, the year
of his death. King was still just
a man in the public conscious
ness. Since, he has become an
icon.
A part of the historical leg
acy of the American people
and of peace. King, invokes
In his letter, he invokes other
historical figures such as Paul
of Tarsus, Thomas Aquinas,
Socrates, Martin Luther, and
Abraham Lincoln as activ
ists for peace and change that
came before him.
Even a school like Guilford
has changed in part because of
King's influence. Shields said
that it was only in 1968 that
Guilford became desegregat
ed and enrolled twenty-seven
African American students.
Part of the discussions
included simple observances
of how much has changed, and
how much has been forgotten
or mythologized through the
lens of hindsight.
Senior Eric Campbell said
that he was awe-struck to
learn that Guilford had for-
Photo by
Justine Bubar
merly been segregated at one
point.
Jorge Zeballos, Latino com
munity coordinator and inter
national student adviser, said
that while issues are still pres
ent, most people have been
trained to turn a blind eye, or
believe there is nothing that
could be done to change these
problems.
Holly Wilson, director of
multicultural education, said
that when speaking on matters
of race, she has been accused
of perpetuating the issues with
race.
Her response was direct and
encompassed the equality for
which King himself strove.
"What's important to my
life is what really resonates
with me," she said, "but I want
to hear all your opinions, all
thoughts and points of view,
because that is diversity and
variety of opinions."
I
MLK documentary allows students better historical understanding
By Eric Campbell
Staff Writer
"Nonviolence is a powerful and just
weapon, which cuts without wounding
and ennobles the man who wields it. It is a
sword that heals," said Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr. on the eve of the bloody protests
in Selma, Ala.
On Jan. 20, students had a chance to see
how Dr. King's words were reflected in his
life's actions. Hall Directors Dennis Scott
and Torry Reynolds held a screening of
the documentary "Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr.: A Historical Perspective" in Milner
lounge.
Reynolds opened the event, explaining
how, with each passing January, the details
of Dr. King's life become more shrouded.
Without concrete knowledge of his deeds.
Dr. King becomes an uplifting but vapid
historical presence.
"We grow up celebrating Martin Luther
King's birthday, but not delving into his
history," said Reynolds.
The film began with King's brisk
seminary education and arrival in
Montgomery, Ala. Once there, he became a
key figure in the Montgomery bus boycott,
beginning his struggle for civil rights. He
praised the sit-ins in Greensboro, where
students protested segregated restaurants
by refusing to leave their seats and aided
the Freedom Riders in desegregating
interstate buses.
Dr. King met opposition from within
the black community, particularly from
black nationalists who disagreed with his
non-violent protest methods. Malcolm X
criticized these methods stringently.
In 1965, King began to speak out against
the Vietnam War, though this stance
damaged his reputation among Americans
in general.
The film demonstrated that civil rights
for African-Americans were only one facet
of King's quest to unite the "brotherhood
of humanity."
After the screening, Reynolds and Scott
invited students to share what they had
learned from the film. Sophomores Anne
Rappe said she was surprised by how
much King's protest methods connected
to Quaker doctrines of non-violence.
"Showing (this movie) in Milner Lounge
was a unique opportunity," said Reynolds.
"It's the students' own living space and ...
more (students) came to watch (as the film
went on)."
"It was really interesting to hear the
details of (King's) life," said first-year
Emma Lovejoy. "We should have more
of these events in a community gathering
space, more of these movies with a
purpose."
The documentary upheld a true,
unsanitized version of MLK day as it
documented the life of the man behind the
messiah.
NEWS
“Just war”: can
Christians declare
a holy war?
By Victor Lopez
Staff Writer
This past Tuesday, students held a
provocative forum at the Hut. The Hut
was warm and cozy, the couches extremely
inviting: an environment that welcomed
questioning Christians and non-Christians
alike.
Kevin Matthews, chaplain of St. Mary's
House asked these questions: "Should
Christians be pacifists? What does just war
theory say and where did it come from? Can
Christians declare a holy war?"
The United States' involvement in World
War II was discussed.
The group questioned the ethics of the
church and compared them with those of
the Bible in an attempt to define what a just
war is.
The Episcopal church defines just war as,
"a theory that some wars are just, or at least
justifiable, and that justifiable wars merit full
Christian support and participation."^
According to the Episcopal church, reason
shows that war is evil, but also that some
times self-defense is required.
Matthews presented the questions, asking
for suggestions that affirmed or contradicted
the idea that there could ever be a just war.
Most of the students who participated were
there to learn and present their points of
view, while two students participated in
these conversations as an alternative to con
ventional confirmation classes.
"We welcome our fellow students to join
this conversation regardless of their faith,"
said senior Peter Gott. "Our goal does not
include converting students to any faith;
rather it is to gain awareness of the theories
and ideology of the church. Keep in mind, for
millennia the Catholic Church defined our
culture, and in many ways our foundation
was shaped by the ideas we are discussing.
Defining just war and its inconsistencies are
planting seeds of knowledge."
Those who attended the meeting did not
profess to have the answers. They, said that
some of the theories are sound and that they
considered the Bible as a point of reference,
and that other examples of war did not fit the
definition of a just war.
When conversation turned to a world
with nuclear warheads, the group wrestled
with the idea that a just war could ever exist
by their church's doctrine.
"The Cold War may have been the only
justified war," said first-year Taylor Seitz.
Next week they plan to discuss the issue
in more depth.
"I'm not sure that my peers at Guilford
know what 'just war' means," said Gott, "In
fact. I'm just learning its definition and use,
which is why we are all here participating in
the ongoing discussion."
Gott said that he would like to see more
Guilford student involvement with these
weekly conversations coordinated by St.
Mary's House Episcopal Campus Ministry,
which serves Greensboro colleges.
The group welcomes people of every sex
ual orientation, gender and race, and encour
ages the participation of individuals of all
political parties and positions in life.
These conversions take place every
Tuesday night from 8 to 9 p.m. at the Hut.
Everyone is welcome