Justice and Power in Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Mountaintop Speech, Part 2

Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his "Mountaintop" speech on April 3, 1968, and was murdered the next day. His impending death was the speech's theme. King did not need to be clairvoyant to know his impending fate. No one could face so much organized opposition and blind hatred and expect to survive. His movement's successes, including the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act, created backlash from evil's intransigent force.

Early in the speech, King described at length an earlier assassination attempt in which someone whom he called "a demented black woman." He survived her knife attack by the narrowest margin.

After telling the chilling story, he said "Now, it doesn't matter, now." It really doesn't matter what happens now." He explained that his airliner had been guarded all night to make sure that it was not tampered with. Officials checked all of the bags--this was not normally done in 1968--to be sure there wasn't a bomb. Mentioning the threats against his life, King asked, "What would happen to me from some of our sick white brothers?" He continued: "We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind."

King admitted that, "Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've seen the Promised Land."

Yet, he knew that "I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land!" He said that he was happy:

"I'm not worried about anything.

"I'm not fearing any man!

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!"

To persist in the face of danger, to be willing to fight against evil. Yet, racism has been rising again in our nation. One listens to certain media outlets and hear's non-stop hate. Millions of Americans reject racial justice, which they snickeringly call "political correctness." This makes King's message all the more important. Real power, a Christian believes, comes not from a rifle barrel, but from doing right.

Here's my first post about this speech.