In my previous entry, I wrote a little about the life of Martin Luther King Jr. He was an inspirational writer and orator, and I wanted to post some of his words for you to read…

Now, I say to you today my friends, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’

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Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

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We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.

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All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality.

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Man is man because he is free to operate within the framework of his destiny. He is free to deliberate, to make decisions, and to choose between alternatives. He is distinguished from animals by his freedom to do evil or to do good and to walk the high road of beauty or tread the low road of ugly degeneracy.

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We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people.

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

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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.

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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.

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Here’s a link to the Seattle Times page of MP3 Clips of two of Martin Luther King’s Speeches

In honor of Martin Luther King Day, it’s a good time to reflect upon his words.

Happy Martin Luther King Day!

Lisa