Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1962-09-22
Martin Luther King A Problem
For Southern Negroes

The nations news media, the other day. gave
the widest possible publicity to the telegram sent
to President Kennedy by Martin Luther King as
sorting that Negroes in the south are buying weap
ons and arming themselves to the teeth in prepare
ton for retalitory violence against white people,
and asserting that shall dark night Of
rotng all over the south unless decisive action is
taken by the Federal Government
We take this telegram another evidence OF
the wild and unreasoning imaginations. of the total
lack of sound judgement, of the readiness with IL
logical and irresponsible statements, and the total
lack of a and understanding OF southern his
tory it relates to Negroes that has been repeated
ly exhibited by Martin Luther King, since his
having been skyrocketed to position of fame as
Negro leader, largely by forces with the hope that
he would continue to exhibit just such lack of re-
sponsibility and sound judgement.
On the subject of violence against Negroes in
the SOUTH that falls far short of the reign of terror
which they now claim exists, even slight look at
the locale, events and incidents of recent weeks Will
show them, for the most part, being the results
of the ill-tempered remarks, unreasonable demon
STATIONS, arrogant dsrespect for local sentiment
and history and total lack Of diplomacy on the
part of Martin Luther King and his cohorts
Looking at the assertion that Negroes are buy
ing weapons, consider first the sources from which
such purchases would have to be made, then put
the price of such weapons against the Negroes fl
nancial position, and get an immediate picture OF
how ridiculous is the assertion, and how wild and
irresponsible the imagination that can invent such
assertion.
we assert mere categOrlcaily CnaC nowhere is
there any evidence to support the view that south
ern Negroes want to engage in any kind Of violence
with against white people over racial integration
and civil rights. True Southern Negroes of intelli
gence firm in the belief that responsible white
and Negro leaders have the intelligence working
together to find a workable solution to the
problem and that such ultimate working together
is being delayed by the efforts and Establishments
of Martin Luther King and his cohorts.
It is becoming increasingly plain to us, it
should to every other intelligent Negro, that instead
of sainted leader Martin Luther King has be-
come heavy weight upon our shoulders and around
necks, and that it is up to US not the white peo
pie, to throw off this weight. and the best way to
throw off this weight is by the empty meeting
house and the empty collection plate.
Finally, in the matter of the future of race
lations in this country which centers in the south,
would say to both President Kennedy, and Gov
Rockefeller of New York who has exhibited
sufficient evidence of desire to become President,
that there proven methods to be used in work
ing out solution to Negro voting and every other
facet of the problem in the SOUTH that support
ing and backing Martin Luther King and his
horts and their methods, in the effort to win Ne
gro votes outside the south, is only to make more
difficult the solution and prolong the problem that
is the main challenge that this nation must answer
in meeting the contest with the communist world.