Partnering With Our Brother’s Killer

From December 1963 until his death in 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr. was the target of an intensive campaign by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to "neutralize" him as an effective civil rights leader. In the words of the man in charge of the FBI's "war" against Dr. King:

"No holds were barred. We have used [similar] techniques against Soviet agents. [The same methods were] brought home against any organization against which we were targeted. We did not differentiate. This is a rough, tough business."

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., CASE STUDY

Leading up to our recent Convention and throughout our time in New Orleans, great emphasis was placed on the “tremendous opportunity” presented by a partnership between Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). It was stated that the partnership indicates the high regard that the FBI has for Alpha Phi Alpha. And, maybe there is a tremendous opportunity...maybe the FBI’s so-called “high regard” for Alpha is worth something: namely the answer to this question:

Are we partnering with our brother’s killer?

As taken from Wikipedia:

COINTELPRO (an acronym for Counter Intelligence Program) was a series of covert, and often illegal, projects conducted by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) aimed at investigating and disrupting dissident political organizations within the United States. The FBI used covert operations from its inception, however formal COINTELPRO operations took place between 1956 and 1971...

According to FBI records, 85% of COINTELPRO resources were expended on infiltrating, disrupting, marginalizing, and/or subverting groups suspected of being subversive,[3] such as communist and socialist organizations; the women's rights movement; people suspected of building a "coalition of militant black nationalist groups" ranging from the Black Panther Party and Republic of New Afrika to "those in the non-violent civil rights movement" such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and others associated with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Congress of Racial Equality, and other civil rights groups...

The directives governing COINTELPRO were issued by FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, who ordered FBI agents to "expose, disrupt, misdirect, discredit, or otherwise neutralize" the activities of these movements and their leaders.

Are we partnering with our brother’s killer?

Maybe to some this question is of little importance. But, every family always wants answers and justice when it comes to the murder of a loved one. And clearly, as much as the General Organization rides on the back of Brother Dr. King’s accomplishments, he must be a loved one. Should we not want answers and justice? Should we be satisfied with a memorial on The National Mall in Washington? Would a statue in the town square make up for someone killing your brother?

Yes, this partnership could be valuable. But at what costs? Is there any price great enough that should allow us to forget justice, especially when it comes to the legacy of an Alpha Man who stood unequivocally for justice?

The FBI’s “high regard” for our Dear Fraternity should allow us to - as equals - have frank discussion and obtain truthful answers to lingering questions.

I know, some of us will say: “But, James Earl Ray was already convicted for the assassination of Dr. King.”

Here’s what columnist Earl Ofari Hutchinson says to that:

The verdict of history stands that Ray killed King. But Ray's guilt, however, doesn't let the government off the hook, as the FBI wiretaps disgracefully show. Unfortunately, the other truth is that the House Select Committee on Assassination that investigated King's murder ordered the files sealed for fifty years. They are still sealed. So we don't really know what the FBI did or didn't do in the run-up to King's murder. The files just might answer many questions about the secret war the FBI waged against King from the late 1950's to his murder.


Even if there’s no further evidence that the FBI had a direct hand in the assassination. The actions of the agency - even if in ignorance - gave a tacit approval to the climate of hate. To this day, there has been no formal apology from the FBI - let alone any steps to ensure that such policies and procedures are not followed ever again.

What are we receiving through this partnership? What is the FBI receiving? We know there is no such thing as something for nothing. So, if the FBI is forming special websites for Members of Alpha and ushering the resumes of Alpha Men to the tops of their application stacks, what are they gaining in return. After COINTELPRO and their war against our esteemed Brother, Dr. King, are we naive enough to believe all they want is talented - college educated - Black men?

Certainly, they have an agenda for this partnership. What is our agenda? Is it simply to get jobs? Please tell me there’s more...

Again I ask, “Are we partnering with our Brother’s killer?”

And, that’s an important question if we are to uphold the Aims and Ideals of Alpha. Are we still in the business of leading and defending our community and people? Or, are we satisfied to simply get what we can get at the expense of our integrity? We criticize the Sigma’s recently for making Fmr. Pres. Bill Clinton an Honorary Member of their ranks and everyone’s is on fire. Yet, we celebrate as a great accomplishment that Alpha Phi Alpha may be partnering with our Brother’s killer.

We cannot allow the General Organization to sell us out. We must ensure that this partnership is used to advance our Aims in defense of the Brotherhood and our community. We must be able to ensure that no Brother will be victimized as Brother King was. We must ensure that the hopes and aspirations of our people are not thwarted by the FBI’s motivation of "protecting national security, preventing violence, and maintaining the existing social and political order."

We - Men of Alpha - were made to change the existing social and political order...to advance it, perfecting our Union. We should not be found as agents of destruction, upholding the status quo.

Let us not be found to be partnering with our Brother’s killer.

Always onward...ever upward...I dedicated this to you!