AN INSPIRATION—ON ANY DAY

“Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men.”
— Martin Luther King, Jr.


TO THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW ME or my work, it’s common knowledge that I admire Martin Luther King, Jr. immensely. He was front-and-center in my film THE WAR WITHIN, he was the driving force behind my comparative analysis of the Civil Rights movement and the Health Freedom movement in LET TRUTH BE THE BIAS, and most recently, in my documentary WE BECOME SILENT.

The title for the film came as an inspiration in the middle of the night, as happens so often with artists. It was 3:00 a.m., and I was in the midst of 17-20 hour days trying to complete this film about Codex Alimentarius. Suddenly, in my sleep, I heard MLK saying “Our lives begin to end the moment we become silent about things that matter,” and I literally sat straight up in bed. The strongest words I heard were, WE BECOME SILENT, as it correlated directly to the scheming of governments and men who would eliminate our voice—our choice— to choose medical alternatives. Once again, Dr. King played a role in my professional and personal life . . .and I cannot tell you how many HUNDREDS of people have commented to me about the power of the title WE BECOME SILENT.

During a viewing of LET TRUTH BE THE BIAS in 1994, I was standing in the back of an auditorium filled with 500 people as the introduction of the film began to play. There’s a scene in the documentary where hordes of armed policemen—with batons at the ready—join arms and push dozens of African Americans with the strength of a football team pushing a blocking ‘sled.’ Elderly men, women and children are forced to the ground—and some are trampled in the ensuing melee. While this scene was playing out, I heard someone comment rather loudly, “This guy must be a LIBERAL,” as if showing the struggle for basic human rights was a Liberal or Conservative issue.

For the record, I am a registered Independent voter, but the comment made me chortle, albeit sadly.

As a humanistic writer, I have often been compelled to take the path less traveled. As a man who vividly recalls the assassination of Dr. King in 1968, I can say uncategorically that many of the ideals he put forth during his short time on this planet are indelibly branded into my soul.

Those same ideals apply to the health freedom movement as well, and we should all honor Dr. King for blazing a peaceful trail to positive change. We can learn from not only his courage in challenging the powers-that-be, but from his vision of equality.

“Life's most persistent and urgent question,” said Dr. King, “is, 'What are you doing for others?'”

Amen, Reverend Dr. King. Amen. Your words are an inspiration—on any day.