Martin Luther King Jr.

College Confidential Community
1

<p>In honor of MLK Jr. Day, let's have a thread dedicated to this great American. </p>

<p>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." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four 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. I have a dream today.</p>

<p>I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor's lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. This is our hope. This is the faith with which I return to the South. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.</p>

<p>This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring." And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania! Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado! Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California! But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia! Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee! Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.</p>

<p>When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"</p>

2

<p><em>claps hands</em> makes me proud to be a black american. :)</p>

3

<p>I went to this Martin Luther King beautification thing today...it's tradition at this elementary school in my area to clean up around the neighborhood and plant things in honor of MLK Jr's memory. It's followed by an assembly where the 3rd-4th grade students read parts of his speeches and stuff. Sooooo cute, because with some of the kids, you can't see them behind the podium except their heads hehe. </p>

<p>It's amazing how powerful and moving his words are, even today. I get teary eyed.</p>

4

<p>I think because it was just about 40 years ago, it isn't like some old history where it feels like "it was diifferent back then" my own parents were alive during this time (granted they were young). Because of him (and others as well) I can get a good education with my peers of all diverse backgrounds</p>

5

<p>If 'CRAP' like this would be done today with Iraq war or something else like gay rights they would get shot.</p>

<p>Oh the irony :rolleyes:</p>

6

<p>What's very interesting about King's "I Have a Dream" speech, I think, is that he was not planning to give that speech originally . He had a whole speech written, and when he began to speak at the march on washington in 1963, he was actually reading from that speech. It was about halfway through the speech (after the phrase "until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream") when he veered from the prepared text completely and just began to talk to the crowd. He'd done the "I have a dream" refrain in a couple of other much smaller speeches, but essentially those incredible words we remember from the "I have a dream" speech were made up on the spot. He was absolutely an amazing leader and speaker.</p>

7

<p>made up on the spot???</p>

<p>wow.</p>

8

<p>Can you imagine Bush and King Jr. debating? MLK would SMASH Bush</p>

9

<p>well yeah I adore Bush but he is nowhere near the speaker that King was LoL. i bet King would disagree with the Iraq War because it was pre emptive and everything...</p>

<p>but i wont' speak for King LoL.</p>

10

<p>sorry just my pro-liberal/anti-conservative politics coming out :p</p>

11

<p>BUMP </p>

<p>MLK Jr. Day is tomorrow. let's keep the thread alive.</p>

12

<p>it's funny that you said today if someone where to speak out like that against the war or for gay rights they'd be shot and MLKJ was shot. We had a con at our scool for MLK day on friday and we had this speaker who comes every year to say the dream speech and he does it with such passion I cry every year. We could really use his leadership now.</p>

13

<p>MLK quotes:
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."</p>

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

<p>"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. "</p>

<p>"We are prone to judge success by the index of our salaries or the size of our automobile rather than by the quality of our service and relationship to mankind. "</p>

<p>"Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. You don't have to have 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." </p>

<p>"If man hasn't discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live."</p>

<p>"Life's most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others? "</p>

14

<p>MLK Jr. was a great man. Awesome speaker and brilliant. The world is a better place because of him.</p>

15

<p>Dad (on the phone): Why don't you have school today?
Me: It's Martin Luther King's day.
Dad: You get a day off for that?
Me: Dad... we are black.
Dad: That doesn't matter... we don't have days off for the freedom of slavery. We need to work... nothing comes free in this world.
Me: You got issues.
<em>hangs up</em></p>

16

<p>Some conspiracy theorists claim that MLK was a CIA plant to calm down the violent Black Power movement in 1960s America. I don't agree with these ideas but the thought is interesting. Some municipalities give off Malcom X's birthday as well.</p>

17

<p>"ad (on the phone): Why don't you have school today?
Me: It's Martin Luther King's day.
Dad: You get a day off for that?
Me: Dad... we are black.
Dad: That doesn't matter... we don't have days off for the freedom of slavery. We need to work... nothing comes free in this world.
Me: You got issues.
<em>hangs up</em>"</p>

<p>You would have made your point better if you had countered by discussing some kind of work that you are devoting yourself to do today as you celebrate MLK's birthday.</p>

<p>Is this your day to learn about black history or the history of people who have fought to overcome discrimination and tyranny? Is this your time to do some kind of volunteer service? </p>

<p>I am among those who think that the best tribute to MLK is using this day as an opportunity to do something special and productive that continues his legacy.</p>

18

<p>I really admire Dr. King, a few years ago I was in Atlanta and got to go to the King Center. It was so cool. There are all kinds of cool things there about his life and we went to his church too!</p>

19

<p>for all the people who dont know who MLK is, it is also Ben Franklin's birthday too</p>

20

<p>I wish we would celebrate Malcom X's birthday, in addition to MLK. It seems as if we are leaving a large piece of history out of the picture by ignoring Malcom X.</p>