Abraham Lincoln freed the black man. In many ways, Dr. King freed the white man. How did he accomplish this tremendous feat? Where others - white and black - preached hatred, he taught the principles of love and nonviolence. We can be so thankful that Dr. King raised his mighty eloquence for love and hope rather than for hostility and bitterness. He took the tension he found in our nation, a tension of injustice, and channeled it for the good of America and all her people.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Reagan credits Martin Luther King Jr. with freeing white people through love rather than hatred.
- In plain terms
- Dr. King taught love instead of hate, which helped white people too.
- What can you take from it?
- Love and nonviolence heal societal divisions better than hostility.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How does love change opponents?
- What is the role of nonviolence?
Another view
It simplifies the complex structural changes required for true racial justice.
More from Ronald Reagan
You know, there aren't six people in this room who know how true this really is.
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