Benevolence Wins
Not only did Dr. King understand his people, the black population, but he also empathized with the white population who were trying to serve justice in their attempts to right the wrongs afflicted upon the African Americans. He never demonstrated hatred, and he was benevolent in each of his speeches, letters, and essays. King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail (1963) is the epitome of such benevolence. Even though he writes from his jail cell, King addresses the men, his fellow clergymen, who have incarcerated him, with respect. He begins his letter, “My Dear Fellow Clergymen” and his benevolence continues for several pages until he turns the tables on his critics describing, in detail, the usurpations committed against the …show more content…
Martin Luther King, Jr. is both an honor and a privilege. Lickona (2004) states that character is about having “‘the right stuff,’[and] as parents and educators, we labor to teach kids this—that’s it’s what’s inside that counts” (p. 5). Dr. King Jr. (1948), in his speech The Purpose of Education, states that “the function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically . . . Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.” Teaching students to think for themselves by exploring literature, questioning an author’s ideas, discussing their thoughts, and writing about their ideas is one way I can help them emulate the great leaders of our world. By modeling good Christian behavior, I can encourage students to do the same. Helping them find their voices and discover which injustices they wish to address and ultimately stand up for will help them to be productive citizens who are always driven to do what is right. In the last speech before his assassination, King, Jr. (2000) communicated that “the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” If I can help my students feel comfortable standing up for what is right and just, both by the people’s law and God’s law, and that they are working for the unity of all people regardless of color or race or social-economic status, then I know they will have learned …show more content…
is one of the most influential leaders in American History. While he was flawed and made mistakes, he held fast to his convictions that America would be a great country if all men and women were treated equally as God intended. As an African American, he endured injustices placed upon him by the white population; as a public figure, he endured close surveillance by the United States government and scrutiny from his fellow Americans. But, he never wavered from what he knew was right.
Martin Luther King, Jr. is more than a civil rights leader for America. He is a leader of the world. His love for his brothers and sisters of all colors and races and his love for God forced him to take a stance for social transformation. A transformation that brought to light the “enduring problem of discrimination and segregation” (Paris, 2008 p. 21). Posthumously, King’s words will continue to provide the world hope, harmony, and good
Not only did Dr. King understand his people, the black population, but he also empathized with the white population who were trying to serve justice in their attempts to right the wrongs afflicted upon the African Americans. He never demonstrated hatred, and he was benevolent in each of his speeches, letters, and essays. King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail (1963) is the epitome of such benevolence. Even though he writes from his jail cell, King addresses the men, his fellow clergymen, who have incarcerated him, with respect. He begins his letter, “My Dear Fellow Clergymen” and his benevolence continues for several pages until he turns the tables on his critics describing, in detail, the usurpations committed against the …show more content…
Martin Luther King, Jr. is both an honor and a privilege. Lickona (2004) states that character is about having “‘the right stuff,’[and] as parents and educators, we labor to teach kids this—that’s it’s what’s inside that counts” (p. 5). Dr. King Jr. (1948), in his speech The Purpose of Education, states that “the function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically . . . Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.” Teaching students to think for themselves by exploring literature, questioning an author’s ideas, discussing their thoughts, and writing about their ideas is one way I can help them emulate the great leaders of our world. By modeling good Christian behavior, I can encourage students to do the same. Helping them find their voices and discover which injustices they wish to address and ultimately stand up for will help them to be productive citizens who are always driven to do what is right. In the last speech before his assassination, King, Jr. (2000) communicated that “the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” If I can help my students feel comfortable standing up for what is right and just, both by the people’s law and God’s law, and that they are working for the unity of all people regardless of color or race or social-economic status, then I know they will have learned …show more content…
is one of the most influential leaders in American History. While he was flawed and made mistakes, he held fast to his convictions that America would be a great country if all men and women were treated equally as God intended. As an African American, he endured injustices placed upon him by the white population; as a public figure, he endured close surveillance by the United States government and scrutiny from his fellow Americans. But, he never wavered from what he knew was right.
Martin Luther King, Jr. is more than a civil rights leader for America. He is a leader of the world. His love for his brothers and sisters of all colors and races and his love for God forced him to take a stance for social transformation. A transformation that brought to light the “enduring problem of discrimination and segregation” (Paris, 2008 p. 21). Posthumously, King’s words will continue to provide the world hope, harmony, and good