Curt Gentry, in his book J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and the Secrets, reiterates the same baseless rumors as Summers. Contradictory to Gentry’s suggestion that Hoover may have been a homosexual, Gentry admittedly noted that Hoover had once warned former President Richard Nixon that Nixon was surrounded by a ?ring of homosexualists.? Apparently, Gentry cannot even see the contradiction in his own writing: If Hoover was indeed a homosexual, he certainly would not care if homosexuals were in Nixon’s government.
It is time to put an end to the allegation that Hoover was a homosexual. Hoover never did approve of homosexuality. And, he made that known. He did not even allow homosexuals to be members of the FBI, which was stated in the FBI’s rules at the time.
Ralph de Toledano, in his book J. Edgar Hoover: The Man in His Time, describes how the baseless rumors of Hoover being a homosexual began. It all started in 1964. One of Lyndon Johnson’s aides and associates was arrested for committing a ?homosexual act? in a bathroom at a YMCA. Johnson’s aide was emotionally collapsed after being arrested for the homosexual act and went to a hospital in Washington, D.C. The White House kept the lid on the story for 24 hours and did not tell the newspapers. One of Hoover’s FBI assistants found out that Johnson’s aide was in the hospital but did not know the reason why. The FBI assistant sent some flowers to Johnson’s aide, using J. Edgar Hoover’s name, which was customary. The media, hoping to generate a few headlines, were only too happy to make that known. Hoover had difficulty explaining what happened for a couple of reasons, which is described by Toledano:
?If [Hoover] had said that he knew nothing of the homosexual charge, he would have admitted that the FBI was not omniscient. If, on the other hand, he claimed knowledge, then he would be convicting himself of friendship with a homosexual.?65
The Communist Party’s members heard about the incident with the flowers and decided that it would be in their best interest to use some under-handed tactics of their own. They decided to engage in what Hoover described as a ?smear campaign? against him.66 Their hatred for Hoover has always been well known, so that should not be too surprising. After all, almost single-handedly, Hoover had kept the Communist Party from attaining social acceptance by releasing information about its nefarious activities.
The Communist Party sent a letter to several government officials, which was supposed to have been written by Hoover, that suggested Hoover himself was engaging in homosexual affairs (as if Hoover, a man who had fought valiantly against the acceptance of homosexuality into the FBI, would engage in such a perverse act). The letter was described as ?scurrilous and putrid? by Senator Bourke Hickenlooper.67 Hoover proved that the letter was just another disinformation attempt that was made to discredit the FBI by attacking him personally.68 Though there have been many attempts to use disinformation against Hoover, what he purportedly discovered about King during the course of the bugging is simply incredible.
Carl Rowan, an African-American syndicated columnist, was initially perturbed when he discovered that King had been bugged. In one of his columns, Rowan blamed J. Edgar Hoover, director of the FBI, for King being bugged.69 However, Rowan later discovered that the bugging had been ordered by U.S. Attorney General Bobby Kennedy. Clyde Tolson, the FBI’s associate director, revealed that in response to one of Rowan’s columns:
?The wire tap on Martin Luther King, Jr., was specifically approved in advance in writing by the late Attorney General of the United States, Mr. Robert F. Kennedy. This device was strictly in the field of internal security and, therefore, was within the provisions laid down by the then President of the United States.?70
J. Edgar Hoover reportedly discovered that King had numerous love affairs. Hoover had ?at least 15 reels of tape about sexual entertainment and conversations between King and Abernathy that might lead to the conclusion that there was a homosexual relationship between the two ministers,? noted Rowan.71
During a discussion with someone in the FBI, Rowan discovered that there had been sexual intercourse in ?the King suite? with Rev. Ralph David Abernathy. At another time, there was an ?orgy.? Those conversations had both been taped by one of the FBI’s bugs.72
The black newspaper writer and television talk show host Tony Brown mentioned the reported conversation between King and Abernathy behind closed doors. In Brown’s column, he described King’s reported love:
?`Come on over here, you big, black m___________, and let me s___ your d___,’ Martin Luther King said to his friend, Rev. [Ralph] David Abernathy. . . .?73
Cunning Copier
In other areas, King’s ethics were also questionable, especially for a minister of good-will. In the course of King’s endeavors, he often plagiarized work from others, claiming it as his own and rarely giving credit where it was due. For a person who seemed accustomed to trickery, this was nothing new to him. King would quote others’ works verbatim and not give credit to the original authors. In the course of King’s plagiarism, he would occasionally change a few words and would often misspell them. The following is a sample of King’s literary theft; the left hand column is the original, the right King’s copy:
?We have granted freely, however, ?We must grant freely, however,
that final intellectual certainty that final intellectual certainty
is impossible. . . . about God is impossible.
Our knowledge of the absolute will always remain relitive [sic].
We can never attain complete We can never gain complete
knowledge or proof of the real.74 knowledge or proof of the real.75
The following excerpts are from some more of his works. On the left is the work of others from whom King obtained his ideas. On the right is King’s work.76
All feasts are divided into two All feasts are divided into two
classes, feasts of precept and classes, feasts of precept and
feasts of devotion. The former feasts of devotion. The feasts
are holy days on of precept are holydays [sic] on
which the Faithful in most which the Faithful in most
Catholic countries refrain from Catholic countries refrain from
unnecessary servile labour and unnecessary servile labor and
attend Mass. These include all attend Mass. These include all
the Sundays in the year, the Sundays in the year,
Christmas Day, the Christmas Day, the
Circumcision . . . circumsism [sic] . . .
Before we come to consider some Before we come to consider some
modern theories it may be well modern theories it may be well
to refer to two views . . . to refer briefly to two views . . .
which are now obsolete or which are now obsolete or
at obsolescent. least absolescent [sic].
If there is any one thing of which If there is any one thing of which
Christians have been modern Christians have been
certain it is that Jesus is a true certain it is that Jesus was a true
man, bone of our bone, flesh of man, bone of our bone, flesh of
our flesh, in all points tempted our flesh, in all points tempted
as we are. . . . At the well as we are. . . . When at the well
at Samaria he asked the of Sameria [sic] he asked a
woman . . . woman . . .
King plagiarized a significant portion of his doctoral dissertation. When Boston University formed a committee to determine the amount of plagiarism in King’s dissertation, the committee concluded that 45 percent of the first part and 21 percent of the second part were copied from other people’s works.77 Despite that outrage-and probably due, for the most part, to King’s popularity among African-Americans-Boston University felt that ?no thought should be given to the revocation of Dr. King’s doctoral degree.?78
How can King be viewed as a leader to today’s youth? He only obeyed the laws that he deemed just. He called for ?black power.? He incited riots. King threatened mayors. He wanted preferential treatment for African-Americans. He cheated in school and throughout his life. His love extended way beyond his speeches.
Some congressmen felt that the type of leadership given by King was not something to be admired. Congressman Waggonner felt that King did not deserve the attention he received. In contradiction to the beliefs held by King’s misguided followers, Congressman Waggonner told the truth behind King’s actions:
?The Washington Star of yesterday, September 20 [1965], summarized the feeling of those in government and out for the latest bit of meddling by Martin Luther King [Jr.] in an editorial, aptly titled, `Martin Luther King, Go Home.’ There is a great deal of concern in every quarter of the nation over the role this professional wowser has recently taken upon himself, that of a Secretary of State without portfolio. And, I might add, without invitation and without qualifications.
?[King] is a meddler and unqualified to tell others how to run either their government or their personal affairs. The fact that he is a Negro gives him the right, in the eyes of the deluded liberals, to meddle in any affair in which any Negro is involved. Yet the record shows that, wherever his presence is felt, there has been bloodshed, strife, and anarchy. His `nonviolence’ has bred violence. His `leadership’ has turned loose the rampaging mob. His `peace’ has fomented hatred at a time when cool heads and reasoning was needed.?79
In the latter part of March 1968, a month before King’s assassination, King decided to visit a garbage collectors strike in Memphis, Tennessee. He organized a demonstration which culminated in a riot. After the traditional burning and looting was completed, it was discovered that a 16-year-old was killed in the process. A judge, wishing to prevent more outbursts, put forth a mandate that made certain there would be no more demonstrations. King felt that it was an ?unjust law? and made it perfectly clear that that he was not going to obey the law.80 Had King obeyed America’s laws or had he decided to ?go home,? as some congressmen desired, it is quite probable that he would not have eventually been killed by the fanatic James Ray.
It seems an outrage that the American government has named a day after Martin Luther King, Jr. For those of us who are still idealistic about the American way of life and truth, justice, and honor, it appears that a ?petition for a redress of grievances,? to have that holiday repealed, would be in order. There is little question that the holiday was created to appease African-Americans; politicians felt that African-Americans should have their own ?hero?-their own day. However, there are so many blacks that have served America well-both in war and in peace-that it seems inappropriate to give King this recognition.
As for receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, it appears this may have been conferred by well meaning, but misguided, members of the international community, who were either unaware of all King’s activities in America or had feigned blindness. In response to this apparent contradiction-awarding a ?Peace Prize? to a man who had caused violence-one fellow stated his feelings, regarding the incident, which was printed in the Congressional Record:
?The politicians and government leaders had better stop pampering Mr. King and others like him and begin speaking against those who would bring more violence and lawlessness to our country. It is time for President Johnson to take a hard, tough line with these rabble-rousers who advocate anarchy. Former President Harry Truman stated it well some time ago when someone admonished him for criticizing the Rev. Martin Luther King [Jr.]. Mr. Truman was reminded that Mr. King had been the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Mr. Truman responded, `Well, I didn’t give it to him.’?81
Although it may seem that what has already been mentioned would be enough to warrant a repeal of the King Holiday, there is one thing about him that is particularly disturbing that needs to be addressed: King’s apparent belief in socialism or, communism. It appears that King and other leaders throughout the civil rights movement accepted that belief because they liked the idea of ?redistributing?-the socialist’s euphemism for stealing-other people’s property. In order to fully understand the reasoning for this folly and before delving into King’s involvement, it is necessary to take a cursory examination of the tenets of socialism.
Socialism’s Success
One particularly disturbing thing about America’s past is the socialists and communists who have organized to create their own Utopia-a place where others work to satisfy the socialists and communists’ laziness. The communists and socialists’ Utopia is a place where they control the government and decide who works where, at what time, and to be paid how much. The proponents of socialism and its twin brother, communism, have caused many problems in the U.S. and still exist in some places, especially in large cities.
Although the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics has practically-for all intents and purposes-crumbled from following the asinine ideology of socialism, that has not stopped the socialist advocates in America from promoting more of the same.82 For instance, the International Socialist Organization still meets at the Teachers’ College at the University of Cincinnati, which it has been doing for quite some time, much like similar groups across the United States of America. (A couple of years back, I even came across one of the ISO’s fliers, which asked people to attend a meeting that was sympathetic towards the African National Congress, which is irrefutably affiliated with South Africa’s Communist Party and is described later.) Despite the U.S.S.R. crumbling, the fringe groups who operate in America and who support an ideology similar to that which was formerly embedded within the U.S.S.R.-often formed by otherwise intelligent people-have stridently advocated more of their ideology, though its end-result has proven to be detrimental to any nation.
The proponents of socialism and communism have never truly understood the work ethic (unless it was to be applied to others); physical labor and difficult mental labor has always been beneath them. They always complain of-what they call-the ?wage slave? type of relationship that is forged between worker and employer. The socialists’ maxim has always been this: You reap what others have planted, not what you sow.
Communism and socialism support the empowerment of their ideology through force or, if possible, through gradual changes. In the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics’ past, the force used by the party resulted in the deaths of approximately 40 million of their own people.83 Unfortunately, that estimate was probably not too far off. Also, the Nazis-the National Socialist advocates-caused the deaths of millions of people as well. The killing of people has always been an important part of the socialist ideology; people will not accept communism unless by sheer force.
Communism is the complete lack of motivation. What is the purpose of working harder if you will not reap greater rewards? In the U.S.S.R., people learned that the harder they worked, the more the socialist leaders would benefit. The people also felt that stealing from a company was acceptable; after all, they reasoned, everything is everybody’s property-why not take it? The socialist leadership condemned the so-called ?bourgeoisie?-the people who had made money during their lifetimes through hard work-while the socialist leaders took the profits from the bourgeoisie (and, in a sense, the socialist leadership became the new bourgeoisie, while condemning the former). The socialists condemned the capitalist yet took the rewards from those who produced and created new goods. The socialist leaders claimed to be for the worker, whom they called by the Latin word ?proletarian?; yet the socialist leaders did everything in their power to keep that very same worker in his place by their actions. For, they felt that they knew better than the worker what he wanted-or, for that matter, needed.
Socialism was created to trick the working class with pretty slogans and prettier words. It was created to take the wealth of a nation by using and manipulating good-natured workers. Socialism was never intended to help the worker; it was created to feed off of him, like some parasitic leach, sucking the life-blood of the worker until he was of no more use and giving no rewards to the socialist leadership.
Communism is the government dictating to you what you will do and what you will not do. It is the government telling you what you can say and what you cannot say. (Communism is political correctness at its worst; it was designed to control and manipulate.) Although there will never be a nation where its people are completely free-except those where anarchy is prevalent-America has allowed people a significant amount of freedom (which seems to lessen by the day), providing that the people do not infringe upon the rights of others.
Nowadays, since the so-called ?Red Scare? is over, many people who are outright socialists are incorrectly being labeled-and sometimes even call themselves-?liberals.? A liberal is anything but a socialist. A liberal is, basically, an open-minded person who is willing to discuss new ideas to better society; socialism is not a new idea and has been proven not to better society. The socialists or, communists who masquerade as liberals do not care about bettering American society as a whole; they only care only about their little groups or their special causes. Most leaders of the so-called socialist causes are in it just for the money or prestige from the followers.