Moral hero
The goals and visions of King were always simple, but nevertheless they were breathtaking as far as their scope was concerned. They included absolute mankind liberation as well as the elimination of all forms of injustice. These simple goals and visions have played a very crucial role in bringing out the moral nature of King. He knew that fighting for absolute liberation of all races living in the American nation was an uphill task that could claim several lives, his own life included, but that did not deter him from pushing forward for what he believed was the right thing for the American society. The blacks as well as several other minorities living in America faced a lot of discrimination and injustices, but despite the fact that neither the oppressors nor the victims could imagine that it was possible to have an American society in which the rights of all the people were respected regardless of their color, sex, religion and nationality, King stood firm by his own conviction that it will be one day be possible to have a free American society. The morality nature of King made him to push for the elimination of all forms of injustices, not only from the people belonging to his color but indeed for all the minorities living in the American society. He was moved by the conviction that it is not only right to do well, but it is actually good to do good (Wills, pp 29).
Martin Luther King, Jr. was aware of the several laws being used by the American authorities to prevent or inhibit the attainment of his noble objectives. He was also aware of the fact that he did not have the capacity to change or amend such laws but his strong morality nature was enough to convince him that those laws had to change if any meaningful achievements were to be attained in terms of liberating all the Americans and eliminating all forms of injustices from this society. The challenges ahead did not at any given time become a source of discouragement for King, since his strong morality standing made him believe that one day the American society and in deed the American authorities will see the need of giving all the minorities living in the country, the freedom which belongs to them (Flescher, pp 36).
By the time Martin Luther King, Jr. was aggressively fighting for the civil rights of all the minorities living within the American society, he was aware of several assassinations that had met most of his predecessors and the oppression the followers of such movements had been subjected to by the American authorities. He therefore knew that a similar predicament could befall on him at any time. In fact before his assassination, he had been jailed several times and had also been intimidated on several other occasions, and all these attempts were meant to silence him so that the minorities could not have a strong spokesperson and hence could continue suffering through racism and racial discrimination and prejudice that was evident in all aspects of this society. Although, his persistence in fighting for the civil rights shows a lot of determination, his endurance of the several oppressions, victimizations and intimidations he went through in order to fight for what he believed was right is a strong indicator that king was a true moral hero of the twentieth century (King, King (Jr.) and Washington, pp 42).
Unlike most of his fellow African-Americans, Martin Luther King, Jr. was educated and could therefore secure a well paying job outside America and live a free life without facing the injustices and racial discrimination that were rampant in the country. Moreover, due to his status in the American society, it was not quite easy for him to face the numerous injustices the other minorities were receiving. This therefore implies that, if King did not have a firm morality standing, then he could have opted to live a free simple life in which he could not be intimidated, victimized, jailed and eventually assassinated. However, his strong morality character could not let this morality hero to sit back and have a good life when millions of African-Americans and other minorities in America were facing a lot of discrimination and injustices at all levels of the American society. He therefore stood with all those who were being oppressed and fought for what he personally believed was the right thing, not just for him and the minorities, but in deed for America as a nation. Bearing the great sacrifice King made to ensure that liberation in America became a reality and that injustice was completely eliminated, one can only conclude that he is one of the greatest moral heroes the world has ever witnessed (Flescher, pp 46).
In his fight for the civil rights, Martin Luther King, Jr. had a large following and could have easily used the huge numbers of people supporting his ideas for violent bloody actions. He however opted to use peaceful means in achieving his main objectives. By doing so, it clearly showed that King was not a violent person but was just an American in search of freedom and an end to racial discrimination and injustices. In this case, his strong morality standing revealed that he did not believe in doing something bad in order to achieve something good, since no good fruits can emanate from a bad source. He therefore chose to apply non violent means which according to him were good actions and were therefore capable of bringing about good fruits at the end of the day. His large following and the numerous options of using violence therefore did not at any given time compromise the high morality nature of King (King, King (Jr.) and Washington, pp 51).
Martin Luther King, Jr. was always a very compassionate individual who was also warm, wise and honest. His strong morality nature made him to have a sense of purpose that was very clear as well as an internal balance that is appreciated even today. The strong morality nature of King made him to be greatly loved all the individuals who were oppressed and looked upon him for their liberation. On the contrary, the strong morality character of King made him to be immensely despised by all the people within the American society who were against his ideas of a free nation in which all people would be treated as equals regardless of their color, sex, religion or nationality. For the people who opposed him, they could have opted for a person with low moral standing as it would have been much easier to silence him and ensure that the civil rights struggle was brought to an end. King was not discriminative in his civil rights struggle as he called upon America as a nation, together with all the people living in the great nation, to join their efforts and live according to the true and right meaning of the existence of their nation as well as the great heritage of the nation. He believed that by doing so, all the Americans regardless of whether they were minority or majority could be infused with the right pride as well the as the determination that was necessary in order to change not only their attitudes but indeed the entire American nation. These were great dreams and ambitions which could not have been easy to develop without strong morals (Wills, pp 54).
The strong morals of Martin Luther King, Jr. barred him from narrowing down the great struggle, to target the people who were oppressing the African-Americans and other minorities within the American society. He instead remained focused on the main objectives of the struggle which were liberating all the Americans as well as eliminating all forms of injustices that were being perpetrated on the minorities. If the moral values of King were weak, he could have easily used his huge following to target the white Americans, however, in so doing the true meaning of the struggle could have been lost as much effort could have been focused on the symptoms of the real problem instead of the actual problem itself. His strong morals ensured that no enmity was created between the minorities and the white Americans and thus the people who were being oppressed could not have turned their frustrations on the white Americans (Frady, pp59).
Martin Luther King, Jr. made all the minorities living in the American society to feel that they were actually not alone in their struggle and since he was doing everything possible to in ensuring that their woes were done away with even if not instantly. King in fact gave the poor the much needed hope so that they could not despise themselves and start to have a feeling of worthlessness. Martin Luther King, Jr. could in several occasions extend his friendly had to those who were lonely making them feel that someone somewhere cared about them in a big way. He could also understand the frustrations of the ignorant people within the society by showing them a lot of understanding. Bearing in mind the level of education of King as well as his standing in the society it could not have been easy for Martin Luther King, Jr. to easily join hands with the poor people in the society who indeed did not have much hope to live for anything. However, the strong moral values of King made him to be very comfortable to not only live and share with such people, but to also assist them in their struggle to attain freedom, liberation and justice. These are traits that are quite rare and which were very evident with King and for sure without high regard for moral values it could not have been possible for him to do all these things.
The Nobel Peace Prize is by any standard a much respected award and honor any individual can receive. However, despite the fact that Martin Luther King, Jr. accepted this prize, he acknowledged that he was actually receiving it on behalf of the more than twenty two million African-Americans, who have for several years been engaged in a very creative struggle of bringing an end to the racial injustice that was taking place within the American society. His strong moral values made him feel that the coveted prize did not belong to him alone but was actually achieved through the great efforts of all the people who had been in one way or another involved in the civil rights struggle. Furthermore, in his speech while accepting the prize, King spoke about some of the injustices that had taken place against his people and thus questioned the why a movement that was not accepted within the American society could be given the coveted peace prize, which stands for justice, brotherhood and peace. In his conclusion statement, King said that he was actually receiving the prize on behalf of all those who struggle for the freedom of America and because the movement he leads to attain that freedom uses non violent means. This peace prize was indeed a great test of Kings morality nature and since he was not an individual who could allow his integrity and morality to be compromised, he was able to pass the greatest test as far as his moral values were concerned (Flescher, pp 64).
While Martin Luther King, Jr. was giving his most famous speech of I have a dream he elaborated the type of a society he desired for the nation he deeply loved. He revealed that all that he wanted to achieve in the long struggle was a just society in which all human rights would be observed for all human beings regardless of their color. He kept on referring to strong moral and ethical values that should be adopted by all Americans in order to make their nation live according to its original principles of its existence. He was not keen at just ensuring that only the African-Americans benefited from the long struggle, but indeed all the people living in the country. Before he ended the speech, he suggested that he might not live to see the dream he had but he is sure that that dream will be realized one day. By this he almost meant that his life was in danger and there was a possibility of him being assassinated soon, but his strong moral values gave him the much needed strength of fighting hard for what he believed in not even death was capable of compromising his firm stand as far as morals were concerned (King, King (Jr.) and Washington, pp 66).
Furthermore, by continuing with the civil rights struggle despite being fully aware that there were very high chances that he will never see or enjoy the fruits of his efforts was yet another major indicator that he was not struggling for his own good, but for the good of the whole American nation. This is not an easy sacrifice that anyone can choose, and by the fact that King chose that route with full knowledge of what was awaiting him, reveals how firm his morals were and that he was ready to die other than allow injustice to continue being perpetrated on the minorities who were living in the American society (Frady, pp 73).
Martin Luther King, Jr. was not only concerned about achieving just achieving the primary objective of justice and equality in the American society where the minorities would be treated by their fellow countrymen and the American laws in a humane manner. He was also concerned about the economic crimes that had been perpetrated on the American minorities as well as some white Americans. It is for this reason that King called for economic compensation of these people so that they could also develop economically as well as socially together with the rest of the American society. Looking critically at this noble request made by this moral hero, it reveals that he was only interested in making the American nation live for its original purpose and existence which is freedom for all. By the fact that King was also concerned and went ahead to oppose the war that was taking place in Vietnam clearly indicates that his morality concerns were not only restricted towards fighting for his people in his nation but for all the people who suffer as a result of injustice perpetrated by those who are superior to them (Wills, pp 77).
Conclusion
Martin Luther King, Jr. by all standards is a true morality hero who lived every single minute of his life trying to ensure that all people were treated in a just manner and that people experienced the true taste of liberation and freedom for all. He aggressively fought for what he believed in, in a non violent manner and was never discouraged despite the numerous handles that were placed on his way. During the time he was fighting for the rights of the minorities, there was little hope that any of his efforts will ever achieve the desired fruits but that did not discourage him in searching for what was right not just for the African-Americans, but indeed for the whole of America as a nation. King was aware that what he was doing would one cost him his dear life, but the love he had for the poor and all those who were suffering due to the injustices that were being perpetrated on to them by the mighty in the society, made him to never give up on this noble course that eventually made him to be assassinated.
Categories:
0 comments:
Post a Comment