What a phenomenal speech from a phenomenal man. Here’s my favorite part, a part that I find universally applicable to any situation where someone or some group is trying to overcome oppression:
“But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.”
Thank you, Dr. King.
And now, as we prepare to inaugurate our first President of color, let’s be sure to continue to judge him and all others not by the color of skin, but the content of character.
I’m praying for you, President Obama. But my faith is not in you.
Proverbs 21:1