ericadawn16 | A Riot is the Language of the Unheard

"But it is not enough for me to stand before you tonight and condemn riots. It would be morally irresponsible for me to do that without, at the same time, condemning the contingent, intolerable conditions that exist in our society. These conditions are the things that cause individuals to feel that they have no other alternative than to engage in violent rebellions to get attention. And I must say tonight that a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the negro poor has worsened over the last twelve or fifteen years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice and humanity."

Read the full speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. here:
http://www.gphistorical.org/mlk/mlkspeech/

Also, I saw Selma and it was AWESOME. Everyone should go see it.

P.S. Part of what I liked about Selma, as a Christian, was that they didn't sugarcoat or water down his faith. He was a man of God, it was his faith that pulled him through the tough times and he used it to call on others of Faith. People of all faiths and colors answered that call: Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim all walking together arm in arm. At least one minister was made into a Martyr. It's one thing to read about the martyrs in the Bible or see the oppression in other nations, but it's different to see what it really means in your own country. It's really powerful to see just what God's calling really means and what one should be prepared to do under God.