Martin Luther King Jr. Contest Winners
How do you feel about MLK Jr?
Watch the video posted. After watching it do you think MLK Jr.'s views on fighting for equality changed?
How do you think he would feel towards the current events?
How could you make a difference in the world?
Michael Goodwin
1. MLK Jr, I think, is a very admirable man. He strode to make the United States a better place for poc and never gave up despite the massive amount of strife the civil rights movement faced. What I find about him so admirable is his dedication to the cause, I can only imagine how much racism he faced and yet he never used violence as an answer. Anyone who is able to be the patient when being surrounded by hate is a wonderful person whom I strive to be.
2. I think he did change his attitude for the future, but not his overall view on equality. He said himself, in the interview, that he became more genuine with his optimism after his "I Have a Dream" speech. I think that this optimism made him fight harder for this cause and pointed to a better future for everyone. Overall, he still believed segregation should be ended and that we are all the same.
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3. I think he would be sad at how much we haven't progressed since then. It has gotten better, I think, but there are still far too many people who are racist to poc. However, I do think that if he was still alive now, he would fight just as hard for equal rights for everyone and stopping the injustices that happen every day to poc.
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4. I think I can make a difference by promoting the ideals I believe in. As a gay man, I will never stop fighting for equal rights around the world. I see people killed for their race, sexuality, gender, etc. It drives me harder to see justice for them and people being treated the same. I can go to protests, I can help those who have suffered at the hands of injustice, I can stand by those who want a better world for everyone. As long as we fight fire with love, I believe we can prevail and have the world painted by the love we have so that no one suffers as people do now.
Precious King
1: Martin Luther King. Jr was an exceptional and wise human being. He changed the face of social and racial injustice for not only the black community and his era but for other minorities and future generations, too. With his resilience and gentle but mighty confidence in rebuilding the salvation for his people, he paved the way for new strategies to fight for basic human rights. Unlike most civil rights activists who want to use violence to prove a point, King used many non-violent approaches to educate those of his ideas and sayings.
2: Throughout his years in actively trying to change racial corruption, he made it known that his ways were solely tranquil and sensible. Peaceful protests and marches were created and used to educate not just this nation but the world. He believed that violence was impractical and immorally wrong to solve these unfair issues because it’s, “socially destructive and creates many more social problems than it solves”. While alive, despite getting extreme: backlash, death threats, getting arrested, and many other unlawful matters thrown towards him; King never sought out to change his views on violence because it worked so well to at least bring up conversation and some legal change regarding the rights of black people.
Unfortunately, the passion and pride he had in doing what was right lead him to his sad passing but his legacy and ways to fight against unjust affairs continues into our current day events.
3: We still have racially motivated issues we are facing today. Instead of segregation and Jim Crow laws, now African Americans have to experience police brutality and unlawful killings/ murders of innocent people. Just like Dr. King himself, hundreds and thousands of people group up to protest against these affairs. Many are violent and orchestrate a lot of unnecessary damage that proves nothing while others perform silent and peaceful ceremonies with no ill intentions which still get shut down regardless just like the chaotic ones. One can assume MLK. Jr’s emotion towards these new day events are mixed with both relief and worrisome. For instance, he would be able to see how black voices are recognized and legitimately heard unlike back then when blacks weren’t, “able to be people… because of all the conditions that [they] have lived with”. However, the way most of these protests become extremely violent and deadly now, another can assume that he would be worried to know the true intentions of these activists and how they would continue to progress by only using violence. At the end of the day, MLK’s teachings are still used and make various differences in this corrupt world.
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4: To help continue his prideful bequest, humans like myself can legitimately educate ourselves on these issues and make an end [eventually] to racially motiavted views and living towards not just African Americans but other people of color as well. Another way to make a difference is to donate to organizations that are assisting the black community in a helpful manner; whether it be food, money, etc. Lastly, literally being an open minded and compassionate person towards other people and not seeing them based on their race, is a simple but genuine contribution towards making this nation a better place.
Marcie Gimutao
1. There are no words that can completely describe my feelings towards Martin Luther King Jr. I feel proud to be able to see the effects of his works, honored even. His famous speech is nearing that of a century, and yet the words he spoke still empowers those today. Despite our propaganda of an education curriculum, they simply cannot block out his words and actions as the most visible spokesperson and activist of his time. So, yes, I look at MLK Jr's life in astonishment, hoping that one day I'll be able to do the same.
2. I do not think MLK Jr's views on fighting for equality have changed, however, he clearly made clear that his approach has. By reflecting on his own experiences as well as hearing from others, he felt that the optimistic approach to the events going on at the time was to be replaced by that of what he deemed to be more realistic approaches.
3. King understood that social injustice, in general, is something that takes years to become fixed. However, I do believe that he would still have felt disappointed that there still needs to be protests and activists, but at the same time be moved at the idea that they even exist. Had he still been alive to see the current events of today, he would be the same emotionally powerful man he was 60 years ago.
4. There are many ways I and many others can make a difference in the world. Given the myriad of ethically incorrect injustices we, as humans, created for ourselves, it should actually be encouraged that we do. Something as simple as being kind can encourage a safe environment for those around you. Educating people on the correct history and current events of the world may help as well. There is an infinite number of actions to be taken, but one thing is for sure: it only takes one to start it all.