In light of MLK day, I would like to submit some of the great lines from some of MLK's works which have made an impression on me:
The American Dream June 6, 1961
"America has been something of a schizophrenic personality, tragically divided against herself. On the one head we have proudly professed the principles of democracy, and on the other hand we have sadly practiced the very antithesis of those principles."
"Civilization refers to what we use; culture refers to what we are... The great problem confronting us today is we have allowed our civilization to outrun our culture."
"The practical aspect of nonviolent resistance is that it exposes the moral defenses of the opponent. Not only that, it somehow arouses his conscience at the same time, and it breaks down his morale."
"The choice is no longer between violence and nonviolence; it is either nonviolence or nonexistence."
Letter from Birmingham City Jail April 16th, 1963
"I am not afraid of the word tension. I have earnestly worked and preached against violent tension, but there is a type of constructive nonviolent tension that is necessary for growth."
"Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering that outright rejection."
"Will we be extremists for hate or will we be extremists for love?"
"...after all, the South, the nation and the world are in dire need of creative extremists."
"If the church today does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authentic ring, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the 20th century."
The American Dream June 6, 1961
"America has been something of a schizophrenic personality, tragically divided against herself. On the one head we have proudly professed the principles of democracy, and on the other hand we have sadly practiced the very antithesis of those principles."
"Civilization refers to what we use; culture refers to what we are... The great problem confronting us today is we have allowed our civilization to outrun our culture."
"The practical aspect of nonviolent resistance is that it exposes the moral defenses of the opponent. Not only that, it somehow arouses his conscience at the same time, and it breaks down his morale."
"The choice is no longer between violence and nonviolence; it is either nonviolence or nonexistence."
Letter from Birmingham City Jail April 16th, 1963
"I am not afraid of the word tension. I have earnestly worked and preached against violent tension, but there is a type of constructive nonviolent tension that is necessary for growth."
"Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering that outright rejection."
"Will we be extremists for hate or will we be extremists for love?"
"...after all, the South, the nation and the world are in dire need of creative extremists."
"If the church today does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authentic ring, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the 20th century."