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.
We are called to speak for the weak, for the voiceless, for the victims of our nation and for those it calls enemy, for no document from human hands can make these humans any less our brothers and sisters.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes our responsibility to advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves and to recognize the shared humanity of all people.
In this powerful quote, Martin Luther King, Jr. calls upon individuals to act courageously on behalf of the marginalized, oppressed, and those deemed enemies by society. He stresses that regardless of social status or labels assigned by humans, every person deserves dignity and support, reflecting the essential connection we share as members of the human family. King emphasizes that our moral obligation transcends societal divisions and urges us to stand up for what is just and compassionate.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about social justice, this quote could illustrate the importance of advocating for the underprivileged.
More from Martin Luther King, Jr.
All quotes →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.
Similar quotes
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Good courage in a bad affair is half of the evil overcome.
I had a vision - and I saw white spirits and black spirits engaged in battle, and the sun was darkened - the thunder rolled in the Heavens, and blood flowed in streams - and I heard a voice saying, 'Such is your luck, such are you called to see, and let it come rough or smooth, you must surely bear it.'
I was giving up. I would have given up - if a voice hadn't made itself heard in my heart. The voice said "I will not die. I refuse it. I will make it through this nightmare. I will beat the odds, as great as they are. I have survived so far, miraculously. Now I will turn miracle into routine. The amazing will be seen everyday. I will put in all the hard work necessary. Yes, so long as God is with me, I will not die. Amen.
I was undeterred by the danger of traveling as a single American woman through Taliban-governed land. I believed in the stories I wanted to tell, the stories I felt were underreported, and I was convinced that that belief would keep me alive.