Commemorating the birth of Dr King

Posted: Friday, January 15, 2010 by Travis Cody in
18



Civil rights leader and Nobel Peace Laureate, the Reverend Dr Martin Luther King Jr, was born 15 January 1929. These are some of the things he said or wrote.

"Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it."

"I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. That is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant."

"Let no man pull you low enough to hate him."

"Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man's sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true."

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

"Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time; the need for mankind to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence."

"Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."

These words were all spoken or written more than 40 years ago, and yet they still resonate. I believe that words do have power because of the strength of conviction behind them.

Today I honor the memory of Dr Martin Luther King Jr, but I try to live by his words every day.

The quotes come from The Quotations Page.

18 comments:

  1. Anonymous says:

    MLK was a wise man...

  1. Great quotes. We're about to have MLK day here.

  1. j says:

    Well said Travis. Some of these quotes I'd never read before.

    Have a nice weekend!

  1. Excellent quotes you shared with us today Travis.

    Knowing you for a few years I believe you do live by his words every day. I am honored to know you

  1. Great posting about a great man.

  1. Janna says:

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

    I really like this one a lot.

  1. Linda says:

    "Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."

    Absolutely!

  1. Very nice. I've been so busy with work I haven't even noticed much outside my little sphere of work related stuff. Thanks for reminding me.

  1. great tribute.

    his words do continue to resonate....that is the perfect word.

    I'm shaking my head...sorry he was taken so young...thinking of what else he could've accomplished had he had more time.

  1. Awesome quotes... It's geat knowing that there were leaders out there who really fought for what they believed in.

  1. Lois: Indeed.

    Charles: My company doesn't offer MLK day as part of the holiday package unfortunately.

    NNG: Agreed.

    Jennifer: Some of them were new to me as well.

    V: I thought it was appropriate to let him speak for himself on the day of his birth. And thanks.

    Mike: Thanks.

    Janna: I think many times we remain silent out of fear.

    Linda: That one is like a clarion call to me because I see so much of both.

    John: I definitely understand about being that busy at work.

    Katherine: He taught so many how to stand up and be counted.

    Terra: I think there still could be if we'd only look and listen a little harder.

  1. Just wanted to share a few of my fave quotes from the man...

    Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

    If I lived in China or even Russia, or any totalitarian country, maybe I could understand some of these illegal injunctions...But somewhere I read of the freedom of assembly. Somewhere I read of the freedom of speech. Somewhere I read of the freedom of the press. Somewhere I read that the greatness of America is the right to protest for right.
    Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

    One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.

    All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance, and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.

    The time is always right to do what is right.

  1. If only our current politicians were as wise.

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  1. A wonderful tribute to Dr. King, Travis! And thank you for your good thoughts and comments at my blog...

  1. The world would be a much better place if more people read his words and applied his thoughts to their own daily lives.

    Great commemoration, Travis.