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.
Every man [human being] is an heir to a legacy of dignity and worth
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the intrinsic value and dignity every human possesses as part of their heritage.
Martin Luther King, Jr.'s quote highlights the idea that every individual inherently carries a legacy of dignity and worth, suggesting that these qualities are fundamental to the human experience. It encourages recognition of each person's intrinsic value, regardless of societal status or external circumstances, and calls for respect and acknowledgment of this shared human heritage.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about human rights, one might say, 'As Martin Luther King, Jr. eloquently put it, every man is an heir to a legacy of dignity and worth, reminding us to respect each other fundamentally.'
More from Martin Luther King, Jr.
All quotes βMusic 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.
Similar quotes
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I believe in God, who made of one blood all nations that on earth do dwell. I believe that all men, black and brown and white, are brothers, varying through time and opportunity, in form and gift and feature, but differing in no essential particular, and alike in soul and the possibility of infinite development.
If men would consider not so much wherein they differ, as wherein they agree, there would be far less of uncharitableness and angry feeling in the world.