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Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Quotes

Civil rights activist

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Famous Martin Luther King, Jr. Quotes

“Wisdom born of experience should tell us that war is obsolete. There may have been a time when war served as a negative good by preventing the spread and growth of an evil force If we assume that life is worth living, if we assume that mankind has the right to survive, then we must find an alternative to war.”

IfsShouldMayHas BeensWarLife IsEvilForceGrowthBornMankindNegativeAssumingSpreadAlternativesWorth LivingObsoletePreventingLife Is Worth Living
Book:The Essential Martin Luther King, Jr.:
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“A time comes when silence is betrayal. Even when pressed by the demands of inner truth, men do not easily assume the task of opposing their government's policy, especially in time of war. Nor does the human spirit move without great difficulty against all the apathy of conformist thought, within one's own bosom and in the surrounding world.”

MenWorldHumansDoeWarGovernmentMovingSpiritSilencePolicyDemandTasksDifficultyAssumingBetrayalApathySilence IsHuman SpiritBosomsOpposingConformistBreaking Silence
Author:Martin Luther King, Jr.
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“We will not build a peaceful world by following a negative path. It is not enough to say we will not wage war. It is necessary to love peace and sacrifice for it. We must concentrate not merely on the negative expulsion of war, but on the positive affirmation of peace”

WorldWarEnoughPeacePathSacrificeNegativeFollowingPeacefulAffirmationPeace WarBeing At PeaceMake Peace Not WarPeaceful WorldPeace Not WarPositive AffirmationsExpulsionLove And WarPeaceful RevolutionWar Love
Book:In a Single Garment of Destiny
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“Mankind's survival is dependent on man's ability to solve the problems of racial injustice, poverty, and war; the solution of these problems is in turn dependent upon man's squaring his moral progress with his scientific progress, and learning the practical art of living in harmony.”

MenArtWarProblemTurnsAbilityMoralPovertyProgressMankindSurvivalSolutionsHarmonyInjusticeSolvePracticalsDependentArt Of LivingScientific Progress
Author:Martin Luther King, Jr.
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“I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.”

LoveBelieveWarRealityTruthFaithHumanityI BelievePeaceBlackFreedomViewsAcceptingMankindHuman NatureMonthsKingsRacismFinalsWordsBoundsRefuseI Believe InOptimisticPeacefulAfrican AmericanTragicUnconditional LoveBrotherhoodAmerican DreamMidnightUnconditionalBlack HistoryBrightnessPeace WarPeace And LoveBeliveRacial DiscriminationBlack History MonthUnarmedInternational PeaceBlack History Month InspirationalBrotherhood Of ManUnconditional AcceptanceKings SpeechFinal WordsWorld Peace DayDaybreakKings And LoveBlack History InspirationalBlack ChurchAfrican American LoveBlack InspirationalBlack RacismPeace With OthersRacism And PrejudiceDiscrimination And RacismEnding RacismFlotsamBrotherhood And PeaceTruth Will PrevailTrue Brotherhood
Author:Martin Luther King, Jr.
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“Nonviolence 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.”

MenMeanWarSpiritHatePeaceFreedomViolenceRefuseRedemptionInternalsThought ProvokingNonviolenceAvoidingNon ViolencePeace And JusticePeace JusticeHate HimViolence And PeaceAvoiding PainPhysical Violence
Book:I Have a Dream: The Quotations of Martin Luther King, Jr
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“Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.”

MeanWarHumanityPeaceGoalViolencePeacefulPeace Of MindOur WorldAnti WarAntiwarFinding PeaceDisarmamentPeace WarGreat WarPeace And JusticePeace And LoveConflict ResolutionPeace And HappinessPeacemakingBeing At PeacePeace JusticePeacefulnessMake Peace Not WarPeaceful WorldAchieving PeaceInternational PeacePeace Not WarPeacekeepingInner Peace And HappinessPeace And SecurityViolence And PeaceWorld Peace DayInternational Peace DayFreedom And PeacePeace Of HeartViolence And WarPeace HarmonyPeace And TolerancePromoting PeaceHarmony And LoveMaintaining Peace
Book:A Time to Break Silence: The Essential Works of Martin Luther King, Jr., for Students
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“It is not enough to say we must not wage war. It is necessary to love peace and sacrifice for it.”

LoveWarEnoughPeaceSacrificeAnti WarAntiwarPeace WarGreat WarPeace And JusticePeace And LovePeace And HappinessBeing At PeacePeace JusticeMake Peace Not WarRevolutionary WarPeaceful WorldPeace LoveAchieving PeacePeace Not WarTrue PeaceWaging WarKings And LoveWar VeteranLove And WarAmerican WarEternal PeaceUnnecessary WarWar LoveWar With Yourself
Book:A Time to Break Silence: The Essential Works of Martin Luther King, Jr., for Students
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“Have we not come to such an impasse in the modern world that we must love our enemies - or else? The chain reaction of evil - hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars - must be broken, or else we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation.”

WorldLoveWarHateEvilDarkEnemyModernBrokenReactionsChainsAbyssModern WorldComplacencyAnnihilationLove Your EnemiesGood Against EvilLoving Your EnemiesI Hate LoveChain ReactionsImpasse
Book:I Have a Dream: The Quotations of Martin Luther King, Jr
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“I am convinced that it is one of the most unjust wars that has ever been fought in the history of the world. Our involvement in the war in Vietnam has torn up the Geneva Accord. It has strengthened the military-industrial complex; it has strengthened the forces of reaction in our nation. It has put us against the self-determination of a vast majority of the Vietnamese people, and put us in the position of protecting a corrupt regime that is stacked against the poor.”

PeopleWorldWarSelfForceNationsPoorMilitaryPositionDeterminationMajorityComplexesConvincedReactionsVietnamRegimesSelf DeterminationUnjustTornWorld HistoryInvolvementAccordVietnameseMilitary Industrial ComplexGenevaUnjust War
Author:Martin Luther King, Jr.
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“I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits. I believe that what self-centered men have torn down men other-centered can build up. I still believe that one day mankind will bow before the altars of God and be crowned triumphant over war and bloodshed, and nonviolent redemptive good will proclaim the rule of the land.”

MenMindBelieveStillsWarSelfBodySpiritCultureThreeI BelievePeaceLandMankindOne DayDignityMealsBowsTornAltarsSelf CenteredGoodwillTriumphantI Still BelieveBloodshedAudacity
Author:Martin Luther King, Jr.
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“The time has come for an all-out war against poverty. The rich nations must use their vast resources of wealth to develop the underdeveloped, school the unschooled, and feed the unfed. Ultimately a great nation is a compassionate nation. No individual or nation can be great if it does not have a concern for "the least of these".”

IfsDoeWarUseSchoolIndividualNationsWealthPovertyRichResourcesConcernCompassionateGreat Nations
Book:In a Single Garment of Destiny
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“If you succumb to the temptation of using violence in the struggle, unborn generations will be the recipients of a long and desolate night of bitterness, and your chief legacy to the future will be an endless reign of meaningless chaos.”

IfsInspirationalLongWarNightPeaceInspiringStruggleViolenceGenerationsChaosEndlessTemptationChiefsLegacyBitternessMeaninglessAntiwarReignUnbornUbuntuPeace And JusticeDesolatePeace JusticeLate NightGeneration GapLoving Your EnemiesMedia Violence
Author:Martin Luther King, Jr.
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“Curtailment of free speech is rationalized on grounds that a more compelling American tradition forbids criticism of the government when the nation is at war... Nothing can be more destructive of our fundamental democratic traditions than the vicious effort to silence dissenters.”

WarGovernmentReligionNationsEffortSilenceAtheismSpeechTraditionCriticismFundamentalsDemocraticDestructiveFree SpeechCompellingViciousAmerican Tradition
Author:Martin Luther King, Jr.
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“Communism forgets that life is individual. Capitalism forgets that life is social, and the kingdom of brotherhood is found neither in the thesis of communism nor the antithesis of capitalism but in a higher synthesis. It is found in a higher synthesis that combines the truths of both.”

LifeMeanWarWholeProblemTogetherLife IsEvilFoundIndividualSocialForgetCommunicationHigherRacismCapitalismKingdomsCommunismBrotherhoodTiedExploitationThesisSynthesisAntithesis
Author:Martin Luther King, Jr.
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“We must move past indecision to action. We must find new ways to speak for peace in Vietnam and for justice throughout the developing world, a world that borders on our doors. If we do not act, we shall surely be dragged down the long, dark, and shameful corridors of time reserved for those who possess power without compassion, might without morality, and strength without sight.”

IfsWorldWayLongWarMightActionPastMovingSpeakPeaceJusticeDarkCompassionDoorsMoralitySightDevelopingBordersVietnamNew WaysReservedShamefulIndecisionCorridorsBreaking Silence
Author:Martin Luther King, Jr.
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“I refuse to accept the cynical notion that nation after nation must spiral down a militaristic stairway into the hell of thermonuclear destruction... I believe that even amid today's mortar bursts and whining bullets, there is still hope for a brighter tomorrow... I still believe that one day mankind will bow before the altars of God and be crowned triumphant over war and bloodshed.”

BelieveStillsWarTodayI BelieveNationsPeaceAcceptingHellMankindTomorrowOne DayNotionRefuseNuclearCynicalBowsBulletsAltarsBrighterAnnihilationTriumphantSpiralsI Still BelieveBloodshedWhiningMortarStairwaysBrighter Tomorrow
Author:Martin Luther King, Jr.
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“World peace through nonviolent means is neither absurd nor unattainable. All other methods have failed. Thus we must begin anew. Nonviolence is a good starting point. Those of us who believe in this method can be voices of reason, sanity, and understanding amid the voices of violence, hatred, and emotion. We can very well set a mood of peace out of which a system of peace can be built.”

WorldBelieveWellsMeanWarReasonPeaceUnderstandingVoiceEmotionViolenceBuiltHatredMethodStartingMoodAbsurdSanityNonviolenceStarting PointUnattainableVoice Of Reason
Author:Martin Luther King, Jr.
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“I am convinced that love is the most durable power in the world. It is not an expression of impractical idealism, but of practical realism. Far from being the pious injunction of a Utopian dreamer, love is an absolute necessity for the survival of our civilization. To return hate for hate does nothing but intensify the existence of evil in the universe. Someone must have sense enough and religion enough to cut off the chain of hate and evil, and this can only be done through love.”

WorldDoeWarDoneEnoughHateUniverseEvilPeaceLove IsExistenceCuttingExpressionReturnCivilizationSurvivalAbsolutesConvincedPracticalsChainsDreamerRealismIdealismPiousUtopian
Author:Martin Luther King, Jr.
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“In struggling for human dignity the oppressed people of the world must not allow themselves to become bitter or indulge in hate campaigns. To retaliate with hate and bitterness would do nothing but intensify the hate in the world. Along the way of life, someone must have sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of hate. This can be done only by projecting the ethics of love to the center of our lives.”

PeopleWorldWayHumansWarDoneEnoughHatePeaceStruggleOur LivesCuttingMoralityEthicsDignityCampaignsBitterChainsBitternessOppressedIndulgeHuman DignityIndulge In
Author:Martin Luther King, Jr.
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“The time has come for America to hear the truth about this tragic war. In international conflicts, the truth is hard to come by because most nations are deceived about themselves. Rationalizations and the incessant search for scapegoats are the psychological cataracts that blind us to our sins. But the day has passed for superficial patriotism. He who lives with untruth lives in spiritual slavery.”

WarHardAmericaSpiritualNationsSinTruth IsConflictSlaveryBlindInternationalPsychologicalPatriotismTragicTruth Of LifeSuperficialDeceivedUntruthIncessantScapegoat
Author:Martin Luther King, Jr.
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“A time comes when silence is betrayal. That time has come for us in relation to Vietnam. A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift, is approaching spiritual death.I knew that America would never invest the necessary funds or energies in rehabilitation of its poor so long as adventures like Vietnam continued to draw men and skills and money like some demonic destructive suction tube. So I was increasingly compelled to see the war as an enemy of the poor.”

MenYearsLongWarAmericaSpiritualEnergyNationsSocialPoorSilenceEnemyMilitaryAdventureSkillsDrawsProgramRelationBetrayalDefenseUpliftingDestructiveFundVietnamAntiwarMore MoneySilence IsCompelledTubesRehabilitationDemonicBreaking SilenceSpiritual Death
Author:Martin Luther King, Jr.
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“This business of burning human beings with napalm, of filling our nation's homes with orphans and widows, of injecting poisonous drugs of hate into veins of peoples normally humane, of sending men home from dark and bloody battlefields physically handicapped and psychologically deranged, cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice and love.”

MenHumansWarHomeHateNationsJusticeDarkHuman BeingsDrugAnd LoveBurningAntiwarBloodyVeinsFillingHumaneBattlefieldsWidowsOrphanPeace And JusticePoisonousHandicappedDerangedBreaking SilenceKings SpeechNapalmJustice And Love
Author:Martin Luther King, Jr.
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“I oppose the war in Vietnam because I love America. I speak out against it not in anger but with anxiety and sorrow in my heart, and above all with a passionate desire to see our beloved country stand as a moral example of the world.”

WorldHeartWarCountryAmericaPoliticalDesireSpeakMoralExampleMy HeartSorrowAnxietyPassionateBelovedVietnamSpeaks OutKings And LoveBeloved CountryPassionate Desire
Book:In a Single Garment of Destiny
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“And violence is impractical, because the old eye for an eye philosophy ends up leaving everybody blind .. It is immoral because it is a descending spiral ending in destruction for everybody. Means and ends are inseparable. The means represent the ideal in the making; in the long run of history destructive means cannot bring about constructive ends.”

MeanLongWarEndsPhilosophyEyeRunningViolenceIdealsDestructionBlindLeavingDestructiveLong RunsImmoralConstructiveInseparableSpiralsDescendingEye For An EyeOld Eyes
Author:Martin Luther King, Jr.
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“If an American is concerned only about his nation, he will not be concerned about the peoples of Asia, Africa, or South America. Is this not why nations engage in the madness of war without the slightest sense of penitence? Is this not why the murder of a citizen of your own nation is a crime, but the murder of citizens of another nation in war is an act of heroic virtue?”

IfsWarAmericaNationsVirtueCrimeCitizensConcernedMadnessMurderSouthHeroicAsiaSouth AmericaPenitence
Book:Strength to Love
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