We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the vitriolic words and actions of the bad people, but for the appalling silence of the good people.
Interpretation
We must take responsibility for our inaction against wrongdoing, not just the actions of those who do harm.
This quote by Martin Luther King, Jr. emphasizes the moral obligation of individuals to speak out against injustice. It highlights that the failure to act or to remain silent in the face of wrongdoing is as culpable as the actions of those causing harm, urging people to be proactive in standing up for what is right.
In practice
This quote can be used in speeches advocating for social justice.
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.
Never be ashamed! There's some who'll hold it against you, but they're not worth bothering with.
It is under the greatest adversity that there exists the greatest potential for doing good, both for oneself and others.
Those who cannot bravely face danger are the slaves of their attackers.
The best way to develop courage is to set a goal and achieve it, make a promise and keep it.
I couldn't find anyone doing something about the astounding injustices women were experiencing, so I decided to do something myself. I cannot tell you how many people ridiculed my efforts.
It's important to underscore this overriding fact: women are not just victims of conflict-they are agents of peace and agents of change.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.