"The Danger That We Will Become Bitter..."
MLK, Speech extract, May 17, 1957
"We must realize that we are grappling with the most weighty social problem of this nation, and in grappling with such a complex problem there is no place for misguided emotionalism.
We must work passionately and unrelentingly for the goal of freedom, but we must be sure that our hands are clean in the struggle.
We must never struggle with falsehood, hate, or malice. We must never become bitter. I know how we feel sometime. There is the danger that those of us who have been forced so long to stand amid the tragic midnight of oppression—those of us who have been trampled over, those of us who have been kicked about—there is the danger that we will become bitter.
But if we will become bitter and indulge in hate campaigns, the old, the new order which is emerging will be nothing but a duplication of the old order."
Author: King, Martin Luther, Jr.
Date: May 17, 1957
Location: Washington, D.C.
h/t Free the People 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@freethepeople/videos
Thank you for this quotation, it is marvellous.
As a child, I followed MLK blow by blow, even in my native Holland. I read everything he wrote as soon as it was available. HIs inspiration was real.
Well . . .
He was a Baptist preacher.
Knew and believed bible teachings. Including . . .
“You heard that it was said: ‘You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’’’
(Yep, we hear this evermore! And proud in doing this!)
“However, I say to you: Continue to love your enemies and to pray for those who persecute you, so that you may prove yourselves sons of your Father who is in the heavens, since he makes his sun rise on both the wicked and the good and makes it rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous..’’
(The motive is to apply example of God’s impartiality. Not just to help human society. It does help. However, there are deeper, more important reasons.)
“For if you love those loving you, what reward do you have? Are not also the tax collectors doing the same thing? And if you greet your brothers only, what extraordinary thing are you doing? Are not also the people of the nations doing the same?”
(Selfish benefit isn’t the basis of this advice.)
“You must accordingly be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.’’
What a high standard!
And just a few minutes earlier, the wise man gave this clear warning . . .
“You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its strength, how will its saltiness be restored? It is no longer usable for anything except to be thrown outside to be trampled on by men”
Salt was used then to preserve. Essential for life. Used here as metaphor for listeners ability to prevent personal moral decay and cultural decline.
We can now see how much insight he really had!
In fact, this quotation reveals a clue about the ‘lack of saltiness’.
What?
Many refer to MLK.
No one credits his source.
And that is the danger.
Thanks
Clay