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Martin Luther King, Jr. Quotes about Evil

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To ignore evil is to become an accomplice to it.

To ignore evil is to become an accomplice to it.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Wisdom, Evil, Good And Evil
Martin Luther King (Jr.), Alex Ayres (1993). “The Wisdom of Martin Luther King, Jr”, Plume

When evil men plot, good men must plan. When evil men burn and bomb, good men must build and bind. When evil men shout ugly words of hatred, good men must commit themselves to the glories of love.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Life Changing, Men, Evil

There is some good in the worst of us, and some evil in the best of us.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Forgiveness, Worst Enemy, Evil
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2015). “The Radical King”, p.39, Beacon Press

He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Acceptance, Evil, Historical
Martin Luther King (Jr.), Alex Ayres (1993). “The Wisdom of Martin Luther King, Jr”, Plume

We must learn that passively to accept an unjust system is to cooperate with that system, and thereby to become a participant in its evil.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Inspirational, Hero, Evil
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2012). “A Gift of Love: Sermons from Strength to Love and Other Preachings”, p.26, Beacon Press

You can’t reach good ends through evil means, because the means represent the seed and the end represents the tree.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Mean, Evil, Tree

When evil men burn and bomb, good men must build and bind.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Men, Evil, Good Man

Freedom only comes through persistent revolt, through persistent agitation, through persistently rising up against the system of evil.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Rising Up, Evil, Agitation
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2013). “"In a Single Garment of Destiny": A Global Vision of Justice”, p.53, Beacon Press

The problem of racism, the problem of economic exploitation, and the problem of war are all tied together. These are the triple evils that are interrelated.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
War, Racism, Evil
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2015). “The Radical King”, p.103, Beacon Press

The existence of poverty in the US should not be accepted as a necessary evil or insoluble problem, but should be considered a crisis requiring emergency measures. It is a matter of will and priorities, not a matter of resources.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Evil, Priorities, Matter

Within the best of us, there is some evil, and within the worst of us, there is some good. When we come to see this, we take a different attitude toward individuals.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Attitude, Evil, Different
"Loving Your Enemies". Speech delivered at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, Montgomery, Alabama, November 17, 1957.

One who condones evils is just as guilty as the one who perpetrates it.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Forgiveness, Wisdom, Evil

The evils of capitalism are as real as the evils of militarism and evils of racism.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Real, Racism, Evil
"Yes, the Martin Luther King Jr. Estate Approved That Ram Trucks Super Bowl Ad" by April Glaser, slate.com. February 4, 2018.

The Negroes of America had taken the President, the press and the pulpit at their word when they spoke in broad terms of freedom and justice. But the absence of brutality and unregenerate evil is not the presence of justice. To stay murder is not the same thing as to ordain brotherhood.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Taken, America, Evil
Martin Luther King (Jr.), Michael K. Honey (2011). “All Labor Has Dignity”, p.110, Beacon Press

I became convinced that noncooperation with evil is as much a moral obligation as is cooperation with good. No other person has been more eloquent and passionate in getting this idea across than Henry David Thoreau. As a result of his writings and personal witness, we are the heirs of a legacy of creative protest.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Writing, Ideas, Evil

One who breaks an unjust law that conscience tells him is unjust ... is in reality expressing the highest respect for law ... We will not obey your evil laws.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Reality, Law, Evil

Often the oppressor goes along unaware of the evil involved in his oppression so long as the oppressed accepts it.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Long, Evil, Oppression
Martin Luther King (Jr.) (1964). “A Martin Luther King Treasury”

The Negro who experiences bitter and agonizing circumstances as a result of some ungodly white person is tempted to look upon all white persons as evil, if he fails to look beyond his circumstances. But the minute he looks beyond his circumstances and sees the whole of the situation, he discovers that some of the most implacable and vehement advocates of racial equality are consecrated white persons.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
White, Evil, Looks

I became convinced that noncooperation with evil is as much a moral obligation as is cooperation with good.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Evil, Cooperation, Moral

The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Peace, Kings, Evil
"Where do we go from here: Chaos or community?". Book by Martin Luther King, Jr., 1967.

[People] don't see that there's a great deal of a difference between nonresistance to evil and nonviolent resistance.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Differences, People, Evil
Source: www.theatlantic.com

Wisdom born of experience should tell us that war is obsolete. There may have been a time when war served as a negative good by preventing the spread and growth of an evil force If we assume that life is worth living, if we assume that mankind has the right to survive, then we must find an alternative to war.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
War, Evil, Growth
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2013). “The Essential Martin Luther King, Jr.: "I Have a Dream" and Other Great Writings”, p.131, Beacon Press

Somebody must have sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of hate and the chain of evil in the universe. And you do that by love

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Hate, Cutting, Evil
"Loving Your Enemies". Speech delivered at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, Montgomery, Alabama, November 17, 1957.

A world war - God forbid! - will leave only smoldering ashes as a mute testimony of a human race whose folly led inexorably to untimely death. Yet there are those who sincerely feel that disarmament is an evil and international negotiation is an abominable waste of time.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
War, Race, Evil
Martin Luther King Jr. (1963). “Strength to Love”

Certainly I'm not saying that you sit down and patiently accept injustice. I'm talking about a very strong force, where you stand up with all your might against an evil system, and you are not a coward.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Strong, Talking, Evil
Source: www.theatlantic.com

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