Saturday, January 28, 2006

Georgetown Law

I've been lazy about writing lately, but this one deserves immediate
attention and praise.



Saturday, January 07, 2006

Taylor Branch's Third Volume

The third and last volume of Branch's civil rights trilogy
will be appearing on January 10. This is excellent timing,
as each of the books took nearly 10 years to write. Lucky
us! Imagine waiting 10 years between Harry Potter books
(gulp)... I highly encourage anyone with even remote
interest in US history to read these trenchant and detailed
examinations of this complex era.









King Strikes Back

The FBI's disgusting attacks on King and the Civil Rights Movement
continue into Branch's second book, Pillar of Fire.
At this point, around 1964, they have bugs in all of
King's residences and workplaces. Using these bugs they
deduce his travel plans and bug his hotel rooms and
automobiles. At a press conference, titled "King's Icy
Fury" by the SF Examiner (go Examiner!), King
challenges Hoover's incapable institution:

"It would be encouraging to us if Mr. Hoover and the FBI
would be as diligent in apprehending those responsible for
bombing churches and killing little children, as they are in
seeking out alleged communist infiltration in the civil
rights movement."

Branch: "These installations[wiretaps] would glean no
embarrassments the bureau could use, but wiretaps did
confirm that King had broken through Hoover's intimidation
as the rare adversary who refused to be bullied.
"I want to hit him hard. He made me hot, and I wanted to
get him."