Val covered the main points of Martin Luther King's Speech very well. I noticed a few things that she didn't point out that I thought were important. King explains the situation with Rosa Parks on the bus. He describes what happened and mentions that the newspapers say that she refused to leave a reserve section on the bus. Martin Luther King states that that is not true when he says, "...but I want you to know this evening that there is no reserved section. The law has never been clarified at that point. Now I think I speak with legal authority, not that I have any legal authority, but I think I speak with legal authority behind me that the law, the ordinance, the city ordinance has never been totally clarified." Hes making a point that Rosa Parks in fact did not commit a crime at all.
He goes on to say that the protest that they are putting on is not wrong. He wants the people to know that nothing they have done is wrong. He states, "If we are wrong, the Supreme Court of this nation is wrong. If we are wrong, the Constitution of the United States is wrong." He continues to say that the things he wants to do to change the situation of segregation and racism will not be illegal unconstitutional. "There will be nobody among us who will stand up and defy the Constitution of this nation." King stated. He wants to make sure that people don't get out of hand, and letting everyone know that there are ways that they can handle the situation.
One of the main points that I thought was important that no one really touched upon was the fact that he opened the speech saying "We are here in a general sense because first and foremost we are American citizens, (That’s right) and we are determined to apply our citizenship to the fullness of its meaning. (Yeah. That’s right) We are here also because of our love for democracy, (Yes) and because of our deep-seated belief that democracy transformed from thin paper to thick action (Yes) is the greatest form of government on earth."
ReplyDeleteI feel as if his knowledge of what it takes to be an American citizen is a strong understanding. He knows what he wants to achieve and he knows how he is going to do it. He couldn't possibly do it on his own and in this speech he is seeking the help of his fellow Americans.
"You know, my friends, there comes a time when people get tired of being trampled over by the iron feet of oppression. [Sustained applause] There comes a time, my friends, when people get tired of being plunged across the abyss of humiliation, where they’d experienced the bleakness of nagging despair. (Keep talking) There comes a time when people get tired of being pushed out of the glittering sunlight of life’s July and left standing amid the piercing chill of an alpine November. [Applause] There comes a time"
MLK JR was a man of many brilliant words. He knew what it was going to take in order to get people to support him. I feel that could even be linked to today's society. A lot of people respected Obama not only for how he is as a person, but for how well he speaks to a large group of people. He gained a lot of respect that way and that is a very admirable trait that most average people don't possess. MLK had that same trait and just like Obama won the election, MLK won the hearts of the people and got them to follow him.