HE GOT AWAY WITH MURDER

As the media does its gee-whizzing on this fortieth anniversary of Martin Luther King’s assassination, let us remember that the “lone nut” theory is the invention of “conspiracy deniers.”

My firm conviction is that J. Edgar Hoover was criminally liable in the murder of Martin Luther King.

J. Edgar Hoover was also criminally liable in the murders of John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X., Robert Kennedy, and in the attempted murder of George Wallace.

Hoover was a hit man for the ruling class.

In terms of harm done, J. Edgar Hoover is the most evil American in our history, so far.

Yet, he is remembered, and vilified, as a cross dresser. It’s like, go ahead and kill presidents and opposition leaders, but goddammit, wear men's undergarments when you do it.

This is similar to recent reports of an overly cozy relationship between John McCain and an attractive female lobbyist. The media doesn’t care about possible corrupt transactions between McCain and the lady as long as they didn’t have sex.

Why did Hoover get away with his crimes? Why was he the longest surviving department head in the history of western government?

Because he knew all the sex-secrets (and booze and drug secrets) of all the powerful people in Washington. That was his modus operandi.

Our founding fathers created “checks and balances” because they knew that unchecked, powerful people tend to be greedy assholes.

They were right.

Including the media.

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AN MLK-DAY STORY

It was probably the early 1980’s. My boss and I, which constituted the entire “company,” decided to hire a part time clerical employee.

I placed a notice with the student employment office at my alma mater, San Francisco State, and we eventually hired two of the eight or so people who responded to that notice.

One of the first calls came from a young woman I guessed was African-American. She was kind of difficult on the phone, as if she didn’t really want a job. I got the picture of her mom or dad standing over her while she made appointments for interviews.

There was difficulty nailing down a good time for the interview. I spent much effort explaining how to get to our office on public transit (something an enthusiastic applicant could easily figure out on her own). She had other probing questions, designed, I felt, to find something objectionable about the job.

I would have told her to forget it, she’d already failed the “excellent communication skills” part of the job description, but, because she was African American, I went ahead and scheduled the interview.

About half an hour later she called back.

“Monday,” she said, “is Martin Luther King’s birthday.”

This didn’t register at first. We were a small contracting firm, we worked when there was work. The only thing different about weekends and holidays for us was the availability of vendor services (UPS pick-up, the copy place’s hours). We took plenty of time off, but not necessarily on weekends or holidays.

“So…?” I responded.

“I can’t come in on MLK day”

I asked her to name a day that week that would be better for her.

“No,” she said, “I don’t want to work for a company that doesn’t take Martin Luther King’s birthday off.”

“Ok,” I said, “ thanks for your interest.

This always seemed ironic to me.

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VERNON JOHNS

I was going to write about Martin Luther King, Jr. (not a bad wikilink) as just a mediocre career minister who happened to have the civil rights thing thrust upon him by circumstances.

Luckily I consulted our fact-check crew (no holiday for them).

I knew MLK’s dad was a minister in Atlanta and that Jr grew up middle class. I always figured he was kind of a playboy. “Ebenezer Baptist Church” definitely has a silvery ring to it.

I sort of knew that his first gig as a minister was in Montgomery at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. This was his base when he led the bus boycott.

It turns out, the previous pastor of Dexter Ave. was Vernon Johns (wikilink). Vernon Johns was one of the most prominent civil rights activists in the south, prior to the bus boycott and the emergence of King.

That he succeeded Vernon Johns tells me that Martin had already chosen a civil-rights involved career path.

There’s an online biography of Vernon Johns at this link.

I must have heard the name Vernon Johns a few times, but I continue to be astounded by my own ignorance.

The civil rights movement didn’t start with the Montgomery bus boycott. The Gay rights movement didn’t start with Stonewall.

The names of the people who kept the flame alive during the darkest days will mostly be forgotten. They deserve our gratitude, and honor, too.

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