“People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.”
~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
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I have tremendous admiration for many of Dr. King’s proclamations, but this is one of them that expresses a concept as universally true that just isn’t always true. Exhibit A is the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. These two groups fully know the identity, beliefs, and commitments of the other–they understand each other completely. It is at the core of Jewish belief that the peoples who surround them are the descendents of those God has rejected, while they are God’s chosen (which is factually racist, by definition). Those surrounding nations have adopted the religion of Islam, which at its core despises the Jewish race and religion–knowing full well what Judaism consists of. I don’t think there are any two distinct groups of people on the face of earth who so completely and truly understand each other–and they are irreconcilable. “Talks” will never improve their understanding, and only force has ever created peace between them–whether economic, political, or military force.
Mark, you make a good point. It seems that a fundamental difference in beliefs about human equality create a barrier to peace. Force can often lead to peace, even if that simply means a parallel, “separate” existence. Do you think that Dr. King’s proclamation was a successful strategy in the context of the civil rights movement? What circumstances have to be in place for the mechanism in this proclamation to achieve peace?