We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of taking immediate action to fulfill democratic promises rather than delaying progress.
In this powerful quote, Martin Luther King Jr. speaks to the urgency of acting in the present moment to realize the true essence of democracy. He argues that instead of complacently waiting for gradual change, people must confront challenges head-on and strive to achieve justice and equality without delay, highlighting that the time to advocate for civil rights is now.
In practice
In a speech about social justice, you might quote this to inspire immediate action.
This business of burning human beings with napalm, of filling our nation's homes with orphans and widows, of injecting poisonous drugs of hate into veins of peoples normally humane, of sending men home from dark and bloody battlefields physically handicapped and psychologically deranged, cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice and love.
Music is the best consolation for a despaired man
We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love.
We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now.
Israel... is one of the great outpost of democracy in the world
One of the greatest casualties of the war in Vietnam is the Great Society... shot down on the battlefield of Vietnam.
Build it, and they will come" only works in the movies. Social Media is a "build it, nurture it, engage them, and they may come and stay.
Throughout human history, in any great endeavour requiring the common effort of many nations and men and women everywhere, we have learned - it is only through seriousness of purpose and persistence that we ultimately carry the day. We might liken it to riding a bicycle. You stay upright and move forward so long as you keep up the momentum.
When a person trains once, nothing happens. When a person forces himself to do a thing a hundred or a thousand times, then he certainly has developed in more ways than physical. Is it raining? That doesn't matter. Am I tired? That doesn't matter either. Then willpower will be no problem.
A person should set his goals as early as he can and devote all his energy and talent to getting there. With enough effort, he may achieve it. Or he may find something that is even more rewarding. But in the end, no matter what the outcome, he will know he has been alive.
Always try the problem that matters most to you.
If four things are followed - having a great aim, acquiring knowledge, hard work, and perseverance - then anything can be achieved.
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