The Civil Rights movement was less a struggle about race and more of a struggle about forcing decency between fellow human beings. The civil rights movement was taking shape for years, but it really came to the fore front during the year 1955. This is the year that both Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus, as well as Emmitt Till being hung in the south for whistling at a white woman. The outrage and fury of these two separate incidents led to boycotts and also led to the civil rights movement being brought to view nationwide by the power of television.

The movement was important because for the United States of America to be able to proclaim itself a great nation and a truly free nation, all of it’s citizens had to have equal rights. The experiment known as separate but equal proved to be a failure. To truly have equal rights that were supposed to be afforded to all Americans, a person had to have equal access to all privileges. There was no way that there was enough money and resources to build everything truly equal, but used for only one race of human beings. To fix this error a new set of leaders emerged from both the church and the political body. From Martin Luther King Jr to President Lyndon B. Johnson who signed the Civil Rights act of 1968, them plus many more heroes led the way to fight against the injustice that had stood for too long and needed to be knocked down.
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An Introduction

Men are innately self-centred, no matter they are sophists, intellectuals, ordinary populace, civil servants, beggars…etc. Due to these characteristics, countless problems are arisen, and if there is no any institution to govern these men’s negative natures, the whole state would steps toward anarchy.

Cambodian government is, of course, separated between three branches; executive, legislative, and judicial institutions. Indeed, all branches single-mindedly targets to offer possible benefits to its people.

Professor George Mckenna, in one of his excerpts called “Why Government!”, claims that government has four basic compulsions to be executed (McKenna, 1998, 7)2.

I. To Establish Justice.

The term “justice” is extremely convoluted to articulate. Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Augustine…etc, all have different opinions for the term “justice”. Not only amongst the people, different forms of government; capitalism, socialism, and democracy, provide different perspectives. We could define the word justice by presenting a figure of a blindfold woman with a set of scales. The scales symbolize balance and fairness; the blindfold stands for impartiality (McKenna, 1998, 7)2. “Justice does not necessarily mean treating everyone alike; otherwise all workers would receive the same pay and all students would earn the same grade, regardless of performance or effort. The impartiality of justice is not completely indiscriminate” (McKenna, 1998, 7)2.

In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote from jail that just law is one that seeks to “uplift” people; an unjust law “degrades” them (McKenna, 1998, 8)2. For Aristotle’s perspective, just is “the proportional,” meaning that each person should be given what is due to him or her (McKenna, 1998, 8)2. Plato, spiritually defined justice as initiated by internal soul. Justice in the city depends on justice in the soul. If men had unjust souls and therefore allowed their desires to govern their conduct, they would not, presumably, recognize the need to do only what they were good at and would meddle in others’ affairs (Forsyth and Soper, 1988, 24)3.

Pot Pot, Ieng Sary, Kieve Samphan, on the other hand, took advantages from the word Justice. “The three ghosts”4, as the American ambassador called, converted the word justice to fulfill their utopian aspirations. To create justice, the three ghosts evacuated all people from all towns to build up cooperatives in the rural areas. Schools, money, pagodas, private property, and other facilities were totally abolished. Democratic Kampuchea’s constitution (1975-1979), Chapter Nine, Article 12, paragraph 6 stated that “There is absolutely no unemployment in Democratic Kampuchea” (Jennar,1995,86)5. This constitution was the instrument that contains connotation to oppress on its inhabitants.

Justice occurs only in the peaceful environment. Because peace could allocate the proportional time for people to think, to set their short-term and long-term goals, and therefore, government potentially could enforce their performances. Since its revival from the protracted war, Cambodian government has tried her utmost to prevalently offer justice to citizens. The constitution is one of the most revered symbols of the Cambodian nation. Chapter III, which covers Cambodian people’s right and obligation, from article 31 through article 50, Cambodian people, regardless of sex, religious belief, political stance, age, and other social status are protected by law6. This is the notion to prove that the constitution is the pillar to provide justice to the people. The new Cambodian government which is known as the “the economic government” led by Samdech Hun Sen as the Prime Minister, focuses on several policies; eliminating on-going logging activities, kidnappings, and illegal checkpoints throughout the country, in order to bring about justice to his people (Kim Hourn, 1999, 25)7.

II. To Ensure Domestic Tranquility.

Philosopher Reinhold Niebuhr noted that “every community seeks consciously and unconsciously to make social peace and order the first goal of its life” and he also added that “for the simple reason that chaos means nonexistence” (McKenna, 1998, 9)2. As stated above, because men are innately self-important, government is the compulsory institution to cater domestic tranquility.

Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) imagined about a state of nature in which there was no government. There would be no police, no jails, no courts, no legislatures, no government authority of any sort. Hobbes evaluated such a state as a nightmare; everyone would do whatever to gain interests, because they would not be penalized by the court. Hobbes finally summed up such a state as “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short” (McKenna, 1998, 9)2.

For Plato, to tranquilize the state, citizens are to be divided into three classes; the small class of rational people is to rule the state with the support of the ‘spirited’ or soldier class, from whom the rulers themselves, called ‘guardians’, are selected during the common process of education. The masses in the lowest of the three classes are excluded from any part in government; their role is to obey, and to supply the community’s needs by engaging in useful trades (R.M.Hare,1991,65)1.

Madison wrote that since men were no angels, we require some kind of armed umpire to keep us from harming one another (McKenna, 1998, 9)2. Professor George McKenna proclaimed that coercion is the available source of the government to stabilize the state (McKenna, 1998, 7)2, and no one can hold this source besides the government, which is comprised of people.

In the past thirties years, Cambodia had come across terrible ordeals of war trauma. In her brand-new renaissance, the government has put her ultimate endeavour to convert the whole Cambodian state into an island of peace. Knowing that unless people have adequate facilities to live in human conditions and dignities, the government has actively played her role, in order to attain that goal, in both local and international stages. Constitution plays the gigantically crucial role to turn the whole Cambodian state into the stable island.

As the result from tireless efforts, Cambodian government was able to resume its seat at the United Nations, became the full member of ASEAN in December 1998, and has also attained other political policies (Kim Hourn, 1999, 25)7.

III. To Provide for the Common Defense.

Cambodian government knows who they were in the past, who they presently are, and prospectively who they would be in the future by setting the accurate goals. Chapter I, article 2, of the Cambodian constitution states that “The territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Cambodia absolutely can’t be invaded, that has stipulated in her map…”8 The past thirty years of war has dramatically taught Cambodians on how to strengthen their stance in the present as well as in the future time.

Government allocates budget to defend its people and integrity; moreover, many bilateral and multi-lateral agreements, related to protecting its border, protecting Cambodian people living abroad, harmonizing regional territorial integrity, fighting against terrorism…etc. Chapter I and IV are the genuine outcomes of the Cambodian government to provide for the common defense. It is the government who has adequate resource to prevent the internal conflicts and external invasion.

IV. To Promote the General Welfare.

Maslow asserted that People desire for hierarchy of motives; starting from physiological needs to safety needs to love needs, esteem needs, and finally self-actualization needs (Myers,1990, 314)9. Besides the three chronological obligations of the government written above, government is assigned to be the welfare-supplier to all the Cambodian citizens. Business regulation, helping the disabled and orphans in the form of payments or shelters. For this purpose, varieties of institution, governmental organizations, and non-governmental organizations have been established to accelerate the process. Constitution also claims the role of the government on this goal.

Government should be like a tree that unconditionally and tirelessly provides shade to all who are in need. Or like the parents who cater cares for the children. Government would always heroically venture to sacrifice everything for the goods of its citizens, as Buth Savong wrote in his book called “The Lesson for Life”;

Enlightened Shade, Enlightened Life

In the dry season, absence of wind, in the middle of field, the heat is enormously high, but the tree can still bare such an ordeal respectfully.

Look! Admire the tree that provides cool shade to men and animals, always be tolerant to the sun’s ray, in accordance to her nature.

Likewise, the guardian/breadwinner is the comfortable shade of the other, he or herself has to possess the quality of endurance, struggle for the hardship.

Admire the parents! Both of them are the guardians/breadwinners of the child/children, how have they endured the suffering.

Enlightenment that is achieved by gigantic endeavour, is always be the shade of heart.

………..(Buth Savong, 2003, 58)10.

In the book entitled, “The Tao Inner Peace”, Diane Dreher suggested the style of leadership through Taoist philosophy. In that book, she stated that leader would resemble the water, which is always cool and timelessly beneficial.

“The best people (government) are like water.

They (government) benefits all things,

And do not compete with them.

They (government) settle in low places,

…………………………………………….

Tao.(Tao 8)” (Dreher, 1990,180)11.

Conclusion.

Government is a mean to an end! There is no need at all, if men are innately insightful, philosophical, psychologically enlightened, or if the government does not function well as expected. But since men are evil creatures, government is required to cease the upheavals of the people, as well as benefiting the people from all walks of life. The four basic duties stated above, is initial answer to the question “why government?” Still government has endless contracts, which they have done with the people during the election campaign to be executed.
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Together with her man, Coretta Scott King and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. made a remarkable partnership. It resulted not only in four talented children, it also helped her practice devoting her life to the highest values of human dignity in service to social change. It seemed black people in America had a time to shine that might involve something other than shoes. So she was rather enraptured with the prospects of performing her arts – in a worldwide and televised way.

“Corrie” was a nice young woman who had a terrific figure in her prime, carefully cultivated to make her an excellent mother. Nonetheless, she had to endure the painful hardships of being seen as “unnatural” because she was colored, and of being seen in a futile way as someone who could be shoved around. She grew up with a typical life of the times, having to walk five miles to school every day. Being somewhat defensive as a young woman, she thought that she might not achieve a full life; this turned out to be entirely not the case.

Also, she and Dr. King made a pretty cute couple. She married fairly young, having met him at Boston College. Way it goes in life sometimes. Corrie would have to settle for the loss of her individuality somewhat, and become lost in a great man’s shadow. But she would forever retain her beauty, and unlike her husband, she never became overweight, dying not of attack or assassination – but at a relatively advanced age in a safe, clean hospital bed, one at a non-segregated hospital. And yet for some reason, even black people seem to have had trouble finding them their proper graves. I wondered myself if this had anything to do with the usual “witchcraft” accusations, but I guess it was just politics – and an attempt to get the Kings buried in a good area and in a style becoming their standings.

The single crypt housing the great man’s body at the grounds of the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change has been replaced by a larger one, and Coretta Scott King’s body has been moved to it from a temporary grave. She died at 78 on January 30 of complications from a stroke and ovarian cancer. This is technically the third grave for Martin Luther King, Jr. who was assassinated in Memphis on April 4, 1968. His was the fourth of a series of awful assassinations: JFK’s in 1963, Malcolm X’s in 1965, Bobby Kennedy’s in 1968, and also MLK’s – a few months earlier. But the fact is, during this time period, others were forced to contemplate lives of extreme misery and social degradation. The two people mentioned in this story may accidentally not have done enough for them. Well, they were only human. Perhaps they inadvertently contributed to a nasty belief system involving going to Hell after you die, being religious folks. Dr. King himself really hated this fixation, and had spoken deeply against it.

However, this is not that large of a question anymore. Really, as global warming has now superseded many social issues, these problems don’t continue in these days like they used to. I have to wonder though about “our” MLK and his family; I have heard some odd messages about them, sometimes on the Internet, sometimes in my sleep – and sometimes they come to me when I’m awake, from where, I wouldn’t begin to know.

Meanwhile, back in the past, Mrs. King traveled throughout America and the world speaking out on behalf of racial and economic justice, women’s and children’s rights, gay and lesbian dignity, religious freedom, the needs of the poor and homeless, full-employment, health care, educational opportunities, nuclear disarmament, and ecological sanity. In short, this lady let a productive career that she had begun earlier in school guide her away from a most terrible mourning process.

As Dr. King had died at the tender age of 39, she was quite lonely, in spite of a huge coterie of fans and friends. So her mourning process was thus sufficiently alleviated. The man she had been married to was a brilliant man of talent. She could never find anyone better, so she didn’t remarry. The altruistic being that had nearly saved the world was perpetually on her psyche. He had been a major world figure, and she had been so near the top of the highest mountain, she decided to continue to preach his words of social change. She had been doing that anyway, but his loss was not one from which she could recover. On the other hand, she certainly had a lot to make up for it – with her struggles for dignity for others.

In her distinguished and productive career, she has lent her support to democracy movements world-wide and served as a consultant to many world leaders in democracy movements worldwide. She traveled the world to tell as many people who could afford to listen to her at the time that although she was a grieving widow, she had much to share with everybody regarding gaining human rights for the entire oppressed world, or at the very least, for the left wing version of it.

During the 1980′s, Coretta Scott King also reaffirmed her long-standing opposition to apartheid, participating in a series of sit-in protests in Washington that prompted nationwide demonstrations against South African racial policies. In 1986, she traveled to South Africa and met with Winnie Mandela. After her return to the United States, she personally urged President Ronald Reagan to approve sanctions against South Africa. Coretta King also remained active in various women’s organizations, including the National Organization for Women, the Women’s International League for Peace, and Church Women United.

She put her musical training to use throughout the black freedom struggle, participating in “freedom concerts,” which included poetry recitation, singing, and lectures related to the history of the civil rights movement. The proceeds from these concerts were donated to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). She accompanied her husband on many of his trips, traveling to Ghana in 1957 and India in 1959. In 1962, Coretta Scott King’s interest in disarmament efforts took her to Geneva, Switzerland, where she served as a Women’s Strike for Peace delegate to the seventeen-nation Disarmament Conference.

“Today Mrs. King is active in many political groups. She is a member of the Black Leadership Forum and the Black Leadership Roundtable. She also continues to give speeches supporting her political beliefs of nonviolent change,” is what a website said about her in 2006. She died later that same year. Ten months after her death, Coretta Scott King is in her final resting place next to her husband, slain civil rights leader Michael King. He is now known by one of his many titles, purportedly, at the grave site, probably the one of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther, King, Jr.
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