Martin Luther King? What's The Fuss?

If you were using social media yesterday, (MLK-observed) you were surely inundated, as was I, by tributes to Rev. King.

It seemed everyone, even rabid anti-social politicians were bending Rev. King to their cause.

I had determined I was going to stay out of that mess and was, I admit, a bit annoyed.

But today I decided that I really would like to share also; a glimpse into what kind of things he said that made him so revered by all people who believe in equality, liberty, justice and the Golden Rule that those values represent.

Thanks to the NJNEWS and Project Gutenberg for this excellent brief sample:

The good neighbor looks beyond the external accidents and discerns those inner qualities that make all men human and, therefore, brothers.

I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.

Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.

The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character — that is the goal of true education.

Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men.

One’s dignity may be assaulted, vandalized, cruelly mocked, but it can never be taken away unless it is surrendered.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love.

We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.

I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. That is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.

We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people.

If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.

Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And he’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over, and I’ve seen the promised land.

Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.

We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.

Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable. ... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.

Can we be those tireless, passionate and dedicated individuals?