For thousands of years, we humans have had the words of great people to lead us through life.

Gandhi left his ideas behind, as did Mother Teresa. Museums are filled with speeches from Abraham Lincoln, John Kennedy and Winston Churchill. We can study the words of Confucius, Muhammad and Jesus.

But wouldn’t it be intriguing to know what they think, first-hand, about today’s issues? In the new book “What Would Martin Say?” by Clarence B. Jones, you’ll learn from one of Martin Luther King’s closest friends and advisors what he thinks King might opine about issues that make the news.

Not long after the Birmingham bus strike, Martin Luther King asked Clarence Jones to come to the South to work for the Civil Rights Movement. Jones was a lawyer with a new house and a young family, and he had no intention of leaving Southern California. But after a few gentle yet not-so-subtle nudges from Dr. King, Jones acquiesced and moved his family to New York where he began working for the Movement. He eventually became one of King’s most trusted advisors.

Because of this, Jones believes that he knows how Martin Luther King, Jr. would feel about issues of race, war, black-on-black violence and more.

What would Martin say about black leadership? First of all, Jones says he doesn’t believe King would like the words “black leadership” because we never hear of “white leadership.” Jones has a few sharp things to say about Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and Louis Farrakhan; namely, he doesn’t believe that King would approve of their advocacy of “victims” today.

“Martin would warn of the complex victim industry whose self-interest lies in not telling blacks that they control — and choose — their own fates through their own actions.” Going further, Jones believes that King would be dismayed at the easy availability of welfare and at affirmative action programs.

Jones claims that King would have strong words to say about inner-city violence and young black men killing other young black men “in an orgy of violence whose proximate cause is alleged disrespect.” Jones weighs in on anti-Semitism, the War in Iraq and King’s own killers.

So what would Martin say?

I know what I’d say. I’d say this is one hot potato of a book; thoughtful, controversial, insightful and inciting.

You’ve probably noticed a plethora of words printed to mark the 40th anniversary of Dr. King’s murder, but these stand head-and-shoulders above the rest. “What Would Martin Say?” is from the point-of-view of a man who saw King every day, talked with him, worked with him, allowed King to bounce ideas off him. Jones has some extremely strong words to say about the world today compared to the dream King had, and some of his thoughts aren’t pretty.

I highly recommend this book, but be warned that it’s not one to breeze through in a night. “What Would Martin Say” is a book that requires thought, reflection and time. Read it and ponder the words of a great man who knew the Great Man.