Martin Luther King, Jr.

Long-time Diner patrons have known for a long time of my admiration for Martin Luther King, Jr. I was hooked in middle school when I read "Letter From A Birmingham Jail." Later revelations of his personal life irritated me a bit, but fell under the same catergory of those about Jefferson and Franklin, et al. American hero without question. Another in a long line of rabble-rousers who set us all straight.

So, in honor of his holiday, a few quotes:

"A nation or civilization that continues to produce soft-minded men purchases its own spiritual death on the installment plan."

"A right delayed is a right denied."

"Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better."

"An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law."

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

"I have a dream that my four little 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 just want to do God's will. And he's allowed me to go to the mountain. And I've looked over, and I've seen the promised land! I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land."

"If a man is called to be a streetsweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great streetsweeper who did his job well."

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

"I submit to you that if a man hasn't discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live."

Thank you, Dr. King. They don't seem to make 'em like you anymore.