As the world pauses to pay tribute to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., mid-day lists some of his more famous sayings, which remain relevant in today's volatile climate
Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
On Tolerance
“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”
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US civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., waves to supporters from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963, on The Mall in Washington, DC, during the "March on Washington" where King delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. Pic/AFP
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.”
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
“Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”
“People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don't know each other; they don't know each other because they have not communicated with each other.”
“Non-violence means avoiding not only external physical violence but also internal violence of spirit. You not only refuse to shoot a man, but you refuse to hate him.”
On Leadership
“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. The true neighbor will risk his position, his prestige, and even his life for the welfare of others.
“There are some things so dear, some things so precious, some things so eternally true, that they are worth dying for. And I submit to you that if a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.”
"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."
“A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.”
“The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.”
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
“Never, never be afraid to do what's right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society's punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.”
On Love
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.”
“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
“I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.”
On Helping Others
“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.”
“There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.”
“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.”
“Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”
“If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.”
On Faith
“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”
“Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men.”
“Human salvation lies in the hands of the creatively maladjusted.”
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