King told Abernathy, “Maybe we just have to admit that the day of violence is here, and maybe we have to just give up and let violence take its course. The nation won’t listen to our voice—maybe it’ll heed the voice of violence.” Abernathy tried to reassure King and lift his spirits, but made little headway. “Ralph, we live in a sick nation.… Maybe we will just have to let violence run its course.”
