Equality and justice were the pillars on which Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. built the foundation of the civil rights movement that he led.
Dr. King strongly believed in social justice. He inspired millions of Americans to fight for their rights and others to stand with them.
Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, he strictly adhered to non-violence believing in the power of civil disobedience, peaceful protests, and the power of a shared dream of equality and justice. It is no wonder that Dr. King's words still inspire and are valued across the globe. He remains a beacon of hope for all oppressed people.
Through his speeches, Dr. King brought to light that equality and justice were not the exclusive rights bestowed upon white Americans but rather basic human rights applicable to all.
In our weekly stand-up, we took turns reading some of Dr. King's quotes that inspire us here at Defynance. Here are a few of our favorite sayings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.:
Perseverance
"We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope"
“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”
Obstacles and disappointments are part of the journey towards achieving our goals. They are meant to be overcome. Dr. King uses the duality of the finite and the infinite to teach us this lesson. He clearly implies that hope is eternal, not a disappointment. Persistently chasing our dreams is how we achieve them.
Equality
"We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now."
“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”
“A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.”
Equality is a true sign of progress in society. Dr. King professed the undeniable value of equality through his speeches establishing it as the basic human right of every individual irrespective of race, background, and position in society. We are all together, whether friends or foes, leaders or followers. We need to motivate each other and speak up to make equality a reality for all.
Justice
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy.”
“Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think.”
“True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.”
If justice is how we achieve peace, we must ponder and reflect on our flaws and the problems faced by our society and take a stand not just from within our comfort zones but challenge the status quote during times of adversity and controversy.
Love
“Let no man pull you so low as to hate him.”
"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."
Hate can impact our thinking and actions without us even knowing it. It is truly a burden that we can choose to unload in favor of love. Let us never go down to the level of hate. Let us instead embrace love by pulling each other up instead of tearing each other down.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. left behind a legacy through his words, speeches, and actions. Inequality and injustice are a part of the human condition. It is up to us to live up to the ideals of Dr. King by striving for justice and equality.
Here at Defynance, we are striving to eliminate the injustice of student debt so that everyone has a level playing field to realize their dreams of a successful career and a happy life. We don't lend money, we align our goals with our customers so we can all win together.
