“The Words Coming Forth From Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s Heart!”

1. Acquiescence: The Negro cannot win the respect of his oppressor by acquiescing; he merely increases the oppressor’s arrogance and contempt. Acquiescence is interpreted as proof of the Negro’s inferiority. The Negro cannot win the respect of the white people of the South or the peoples of the world if he is willing to sell the future of his children for his personal and immediate comfort and safety.

2. Bible: Misinterpretation: There is always the danger that religion and the Bible not properly interpreted can be used as forces to crystallize the status quo.

3. Civil Rights: The church must become increasingly active in social action outside its doors. It must seek to keep channels of communication open between the Negro and white community. It must take an active stand against the injustice that Negroes confront in housing, education, police protection, and in city and state courts. It must exert its influence in the area of economic justice. As guardian  of the moral and spiritual life of the community the church cannot look with indifference upon these glaring evils.

4. Discrimination: We must depend on religion and education to alter the errors of the heart and mind; but meanwhile it is an immoral  act to compel a man to accept injustice until another man’s heart is set straight. As the experience of several Northern states has shown, anti-discrimination laws can provide powerful sanctions against this kind of immorality.

5. Education And Legislation: Through education we seek to change attitudes, through legislation and court orders we seek to regulate behavior. Through education we seek to change internal feelings (prejudice, hate, etc.); through legislation and court orders we seek to control the external effects of those feelings. Through education we seek to break down the spiritual barriers to integration; through legislation and court orders we seek to break down the physical barriers to integration. One method is not a substitute for the other, but a meaningful and necessary supplement.

6. Forgiveness: Forgiveness is not an occasional act; it is a permanent attitude. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. Forgiveness does not mean ignoring what has been done or putting a false label on an evil act. It means, rather, that the evil act no longer remains as a barrier to the relationship. Forgiveness is a catalyst creating the atmosphere necessary for a fresh start and a new  beginning. It is the lifting of a burden or the canceling of a debt. We can never say, “I will forgive you, but I won’t have anything further to do with you.” Forgiveness means reconciliation, a coming together again.

7. Group Morality: We have not made a single gain in civil rights without determined legal and nonviolent pressure. Lamentably it is an historical fact that privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily. Individuals may see the moral light and voluntarily give up their unjust posture; but as Reinhold Niebuhr has reminded us, groups tend to be more immoral than individuals.

8. Hypocrisy: Millions of Peace Corps dollars are being invested in Africa because of the votes of some men who fight unrelentingly to prevent African ambassadors from holding membership in their diplomatic clubs or establish residency in their particular neighborhoods. Millions of missionary dollars have gone to Africa from the hands of church people who would die a million deaths before they would permit a single African the privilege of worshiping in their congregation.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a brilliant man whose words and thoughts consisted of much more than the words spoken in his “I Have A Dream” speech.Sadly, but most definitely understandable, is the fact that the words spoken in his “I Have A Dream” speech are basically the only words that most choose to be familiar with. In celebration of his life I chose to share some of his most stimulating words taken from the book “I Have A Dream”. (The quotations of Martin Luther King Jr. The moving eloquent and astonishingly prophetic words that expressed the inspiration and hopes of the martyred Civil Rights leader.)

Hopefully, eventually the celebration of his life will seriously begin to consist of much more than one just going to a one evening  event. He didn’t intend for society to just continue talking about his dream and attending an annual event in celebration of his life. Stop dreaming and start striving towards turning his dream into an actual reality.  Wake Up! Wake Up! Wake Up!

This is “Lillie’s Point of View” and I’m just having my say!