Letter to Ralph Abernathy Offering Suggestions

Transcript

April 30, 1968 Stamped in blue ink: May 3[,] 1968 Rev[erend] Ralph Abernathy Southern Christian Leadership Conference Atlanta, GA Dear Sir: In 1964 who elected Lyndon B[aines] Johnson and [Hubert] Humphrey giving them an overwhelming victory?. He had. [MS:Illegible] solid vote bloc of 24,000,000 senior citizens of all colors-Races and creeds?we voted for him to a man and woman of both parties-24,000,000 votes is a lot of votes to [solving?] what was the issue that united this massive solid vote Bloc??Medicare? Rev[erend] Abernathy?If the Negroes Civil Rights Leaders [MS:Illegible] get back of his plan-even if it meant marches of its elderly-etc, etc. If you could get this massive single solid vote Bloc in your corner you would have one of its most potent weapons at your command-and tie in all the poor-all its poor in America you would have a single vote bloc of votes running close to 40 million votes- [Page 2] Something to think about Think of it ?you could run your own candidate for president and win!!- If the Negro Civil Rights Leaders Don?t get something like this [back?] of [MS:Illegible]= they are sunk-[MS: Illegible] is sunk-Why?-Russia set a goal [MS: Illegible] leadership. [MS:Illegible] leadership by 1970-71-She set this goal in 1960-by-Bypassing [her?] [MS: Illegible] ?and used her Brightest minds to forge ahead in science-Technology-[Cybernetics?] Electric in [MS: Illegible] computers-artificial [MS: Illegible] systems-artificial [Intelligence?] and [MS: Illegible]?Russia is on schedule=and by 1970-71 will force America to automate-jabs. Will fade away like mist before the morning sun-Right now the Human Bodies can be replaced with [Crossed out: and] electric [Bodies?]- with artificial nervous systems with electric and problematic computers. Industries have found it more profitable to imply automated machines that can be written of in taxes than implying Human [MS: Illegible]-Human Bodies-[and?] workers- Now is the time to force its [problems?] in public [MS: Illegible] to pass SB 1056-H.R. 335 National Pension Bill-guaranteed income for all-or we will all be sunk-and you better Believe it- [Page 3] Should Russia force America to [Wholly?] and completely automate in 1970-71-our nation as a [MS: Illegible] IS FATALLY UNPREPARED TO MEET IT-our own educational system is practically worthless-[founders?] or concepts of 1912-[MS: Illegible] 1968-training children to fit into jobs that will not exist by the time they graduate- America?s entire educational system is practically useless and worthless it is not geared to the new age we are now in-From now on to exist in this new age it is going to demand [us?] Highest degree of intelligence to get by. Our intelligence [ones?] not come from educational-Information-or Books.-It must [Underlined: unfold] from [Circled:[wither?] each person? Our nation is flying from its dreadful disease of [Underlined: Ignorance] or [Underlined: darkness] So-what 3 organizations will suffer its [Underlined: most] when Russia forces us to [automate?]- 1st Labor Unions?2nd Politics?3rd Religions?so unless we get that guaranteed income now-our chance of getting it later may not materialize- When [automatism?] tasks over-we will all be equal?in poverty- Give it some thought-[forgive?] out [here?] to get that single vote bloc of 24,000,000 senior citizens and back of [MS: Illegible]!! [Then?] you [MS: Illegible] have a real weapon to make[MS: Illegible] sit [MS: Illegible]