Happy Birthday Martin!

Happy Birthday Martin Luther King Jr.!



Here are some of my favorite quotes from MLKJ, along with my thoughts...enjoy.



"I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character"

• I like this one because it reminds me of where we have been, however it is also a reminder of what we've yet to do. Few people continue to judge by the color of skin, but judgement still remains. Sadly, prejudice is still a very real and very prominent problem in our world today.

" Nonviolence means avoiding not only external physical violence by also internal violence of spirit. You not only refuse to shoot a man, but you refuse to hate him."

• I love this quote because I often find this concept to be difficult. It is so much easier for me to just refuse to like 'the other opinion', to ignore their points(no matter how logical they seem) because it came out of their opinions-that does nothing to diffuse the situation. It only feeds the fire of fighting and misunderstanding. If I learn to respect their opinions(even if I don't agree) it is more likely to bring peace to myself, which must happen in order for me to feel like I can help the peace of the world on a broader sense.

And my top three:

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

• This one speaks to my heart because it's true, it just is! Often times when our friends stick up for us that is what we remember and it makes the friendship stronger. It is also a reminder for me to stop being a chicken, and to speak out if I find something offensive. Silence is not golden, and ignorance is not bliss.

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

• Again a (not so subtle) reminder of what my heroes (Lincoln, Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr) gave up and 'fought for' no matter the cost. All three of these gentlemen were assassinated for their courage to stand up for what they believed was right. Remembering that makes 'a fear of loosing friendships, or appearing foolish' seem small, and pretty much irrelevant.
  

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

• This is my all-time favorite! (and something everyone should remember) We did all come from different ships, some families are brand new to this country and some are most definitely not-either way we are all in this together. So maybe we should stop bickering, attempt to respect each others opinions(and hopefully, eventually, actually respect each others opinions), and work together as one big team to bring about change that will help the country and the people. This will not happen overnight, but I believe it can happen-this is my dream.