Martin Luther King, Jr. Quotes
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If an American is concerned only about his nation, he will not be concerned about the peoples of Asia, Africa, or South America. Is this not why nations engage in the madness of war without the slightest sense of penitence? Is this not why the murder of a citizen of your own nation is a crime, but the murder of citizens of another nation in war is an act of heroic virtue?
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Great people aren't those who are happy at times of convienience and content, but of how they are in times of catastrophy and controversy.
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We are not makers of history. We are made by history.
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We were all involved in the death of John Kennedy. We tolerated hate; we tolerated the sick stimulation of violence in all walks of life; and we tolerated the differential application of law, which said that a man's life was sacred only if we agreed with his views.
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We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only power of concentration, but worthy objectives upon which to concentrate.
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When our days become dreary with low-hovering clouds and our nights become darker than a thousand midnights, we will know that we are living in the creative turmoil of a genuine civilization struggling to be born.
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Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see.
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I decide on the basis of conscience. A genuine leader doesn't reflect consensus, he molds consensus.
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He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love.
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Is is always time to do the right thing.
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True sympathy is the personal concern which demands the giving of one's soul.
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There is nothing more tragic than to find an individual bogged down in the length of life, devoid of breadth.
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Whatever we do, we must keep God in the forefront. Let us be Christian in all of our actions. But I want to tell you this evening that it is not enough for us to talk about love, love is one of the pivotal points of the Christian face, faith. There is another side called justice. And justice is really love in calculation. Justice is love correcting that which revolts against love.
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To dislocate the functioning of a city without destroying it can be more effective than a riot because it can be longer-lasting, costly to the society but not wantonly destructive, moreover, it is more difficult for Government to quell it by superior force.
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Often the oppressor goes along unaware of the evil involved in his oppression so long as the oppressed accepts it.
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Man must never be treated as a means to the end of the state, but always as an end within himself.
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Love is somehow the key that unlocks the door which leads to ultimate reality.
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We need not join the mad rush to purchase an earthly fallout shelter. God is our eternal fallout shelter. From Strength to Love, 1963
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Do to us what you will, and we will still love you. Bomb our homes and threaten our children, and as difficult as it is, we will still love you. But we assured that we'll wear you down by our capacity to suffer, and one day we will win our freedom. We will not only win freedom for ourselves, we will so appeal to your heart and conscience that we will win you in the process, and our victory will be a double victory.
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The time has come for America to hear the truth about this tragic war. In international conflicts, the truth is hard to come by because most nations are deceived about themselves. Rationalizations and the incessant search for scapegoats are the psychological cataracts that blind us to our sins. But the day has passed for superficial patriotism. He who lives with untruth lives in spiritual slavery.
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I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made straight and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.
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There is a type of constructive nonviolent tension that is necessary for growth.
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Through violence, you may murder the hater, but you do not murder the hate.
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Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle.