Clergy leaders should study MLK’s beliefs about Israel
Re: The Jan. 13 open letter by Black clergy leaders in the AJC, Dr. King believed Israel had a right to defend its people from their enemies. He would have been appalled by the atrocities committed on October 7th. Hamas has threatened to commit such attacks repeatedly.
To prevent Hamas from making good on its threats, Israel must continue to fight until Hamas surrenders or is dismantled.
The deaths of Palestinians are no less tragic than the deaths of Israelis. But Hamas has refused to negotiate on multiple Israeli and U.S. proposals for ending the conflict. Hamas has also diverted humanitarian aid, intended for the people’s benefit, to its efforts to destroy Israel (for instance, building an extensive network of terror tunnels under Gaza instead of developing the enclave’s economy).
Casualty counts reported by Hamas’ Ministry of Health are unreliable, failing to distinguish between civilians and combatants. Furthermore, Hamas endangers civilians’ lives by embedding its fighters among civilians and using hospitals, schools and mosques to store munitions.
TOBY F. BLOCK, ATLANTA
As it did in Rev. King’s time, hate drags society down
One of my proudest moments in life was talking with John Lewis — congressman and civil rights leader. One of my favorite songs is “Abraham, Martin, and John,” first recorded by Dion —”seems the good, they die young” is a lyric.
We remember the day that Martin died. Unfortunately, a friend recounted that day being at a volleyball game in college when it was announced that Dr. King had been killed. They cheered!
Fortunately, despite some setbacks in recent years concerning hostilities toward minorities, I believe that progress against discrimination has been made. The racists who co-mingled with civil rights groups for a demonstration in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017 prompted President Trump to pronounce there were good people on both sides. Are people who hate their neighbors good?
I hope that in the coming years, our educational system will teach what is right vs. wrong, that hate drags society down and that we live up to the ideals of the Constitution.
JOHN SHACKLETON, ATLANTA
