Thought for the Day

[bcholmes]

I must make two honest confessions to you, my Christian and Jewish brothers. First, I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Councillor or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action"; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a "more convenient season." Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.

— Martin Luther King; emphasis added

Comments

[lovecraftienne.livejournal.com]

It's the last sentence that reaches me. It's how I feel about Michigan's "we'll let you in, if you're quiet" policy.

[trinker.livejournal.com]

who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man's freedom;

Oh, yeah, THAT.

[kat-chan.livejournal.com]

So much of that can be applied to the white "liberal" with regards to gay rights in the US. "I think you should be allowed to have the same rights as a married couple, but we don't want to rock the boat. And if we push too hard, it may cost us seats in the next election!" As if losing an election by standing for what is right and just is the worst possible thing in the world. Especially after having lost an election where you caved in and gave Little Nero imperial power to resolve a non-issue in Iraq...