Mckenzie  

“People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.” -Martin Luther King Jr.

Many national and global problems humankind faces have a common origin: miscommunication. Miscommunication because of fear of the unknown and unforeseen. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was the people’s man, he fought for justice and peace while preaching to act always through love. He was an incredible man with an unfinished, unyielding dream. A dream of a congregation of black, white, brown, or blue coming together as one body, the American people, striving to achieve the true free American democracy our nation has fought for and preserved for hundreds of years. Dr. King was a man from before his time, and within his short existence, he changed the United States. 

Michelle 

“Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability but comes through continuous struggle.” -Martin Luther King Jr.

Change does not happen through an easy path, you must fight and overcome tough battles to achieve a change, not only in life but also in society. Martin Luther King Jr. knew better than anyone that change was not straightforward, and that his battles for equality in society would bear fruit in the future and freedom to his brothers and sisters. This is one of the phrases, that in my opinion, has the crude reality of a change, but it is also the one that in difficult moments reminds me that this stiff road is only part of the process and future victory

Zoe 

“One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.” -Letter from a Birmingham Jail  

This quote taken out of Letter from a Birmingham Jail is crucially important in describing the concept of civil disobedience. Before writing this letter, Martin Luther King, Jr. was arrested for nonviolently protesting segregation. By explaining that just and unjust laws morally require different reactions, King is dismantling the idea that whatever is in United States law should be blindly followed in the false name of justice. This statement continues to be vital to attitudes today, as laws are constantly changing and continue to be used in adverse ways against minority groups. It is important that we remember this principle and always question or check the laws which we abide by. 

Brenlee  

“We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.” -Martin Luther King Jr.

Of all the moving words that MLK has spoken, these stick out the most to me. He is saying that we all must forgive and move past our mistakes in order to see progress and change. We all have the opportunity to be good or evil, and when we acknowledge this, we can all get along and prevent the evil, although it may be inevitable. In order to promote unity and togetherness, we have to recognize the evil that is in us all. 

Ava 

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” -Martin Luther King Jr.

This, of many, is my favorite quote from Martin Luther King Jr. I feel like this has relevance to every issue in the world. People during this day and age think that staying silent about their political opinions is the best way to go because it avoids conflict. When it comes to equal rights, that should not be mixed up in whether you agree with the left side or the right side. Whether you are Democrat or Republican, you should speak up about the issues going on in our world. Silence does not help. Speaking your mind when you know something is off matters. Acting on what you stand for matters. Doing what you can matters. The smallest things help society grow toward the goal we should all want. The way King words this quote is what sticks out to me the most. It is the fact that he includes “our,” as in everyone’s life, “begins to end” once people stop talking about what really matters in the world. Keep having those conversations.