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 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 was taught that if you see a person drowning, you must jump into the water to save them, whether you can swim or not.
Hope and faith. You have to have hope and faith... Long ways to go. Grateful to survive. I's frustrating. Mentally hard. Hard work. I'm trying. Trying so hard to get better. Regain what I've lost... I will get stronger. I will return.
You do wonder - when you are at 28,000 feet, the height that aeroplanes cruise at, when you are struggling to draw breath and every limb aches - why do I do this?
The next time you encounter fear, consider yourself lucky. This is where the courage comes in. Usually we think that brave people have no fear. The truth is that they are intimate with fear. When I was first married, my husband said I was one of the bravest people he knew. When I asked him why, he said because I was a complete coward but went ahead and did things anyhow.
I believe that anyone can conquer fear by doing the things he fears to do.