MLK

             was a civil rights activist who led Black Americans through his inspirational speeches, which he conveyed through the words of god. He won the Nobel Prize for peace and continued to spread his knowledge by preaching. During the Vietnam War, he gave a speech at the Baptist church in Montgomery, Alabama called "Declaration of Independence from the War in Vietnam" on April 4, 1967. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke for the voiceless people of Vietnam. He hoped that politicians and the community would hear his voice and this, in turn, would encourage them to take action by protesting. Martin Luther King Jr. distinctively made a connection between the War in Vietnam and the Civil Rights struggle happening in America. His speech was so well written that he captivates his audience with emotion and logical prophesies. .
             He opens his speech clearly by disclosing the purpose as to why he is preaching about the Vietnam War. He explains that it is his calling in life, and he that he must offer a plea to his nation. He states that his speech is not addressed to Hanoi or China but to the American people who have the responsibility to end the war. By stating this immediately, the audience understands his purpose and, at the same time, he is not offending any one nation. He goes on to explain that the Vietnam War is affecting the American people because funds were being allocated to the war effort instead of the poor communities. He shows this effect by giving the example of the Poverty Program having to shut down because it did not have sufficient funds. Next, he goes on to explain that the war is not only destroying the hopes of the poor, but it is crippling society by sending young black men to fight. He states that the black man is fighting a war in Southeast Asia when they cannot find peace in their own neighborhood. Through this statement, Martin Luther King Jr. illuminates the irony that Black Americans cannot find peace here in America, but must go and fight for peace in a foreign nation.