“I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to “order” than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: “I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action”; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man’s freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a “more convenient season.” Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.”
Martin Luther King Jr., Letter from the Birmingham Jail
Linda hosts One-Liner Wednesday. Check out her blog for the rules and to see who else is participating this week.
Riddle from the Middle 
Sadly so true, more than ever.
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I hate that we haven’t made the progress we desperately need.
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Laura, thanks for sharing this. This quote near the end stands out to me:
“Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.”
What always bothered me and, sadly bothers me still, is people who rationalize behavior they know is unjust, especially when such rationalizing occurs from the pulpit. If more religious leaders had stepped up to denounce Jim Crow, racism and the beatings and lynchings, change for the better could have happened sooner.
But, sadly the sentiment did not go away, and has resurfaced in a few and seized by politicians looking for wedge issues to divide and win elections. These are not leaders nor should they be ever considered as such. Keith
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The older I get the more I struggle with organized religion. I have a hard time with houses of worship that push political agendas — we attended one where they literally told us who we should be voting for FROM THE PULPIT — and preach on policy instead of the basics of Jesus’ teaching. I have no experience with non-Christian faiths and hope they’re doing a better job of leading their followers. I’ll say this: the combination of hitting fifty and living through this pandemic has clarified what’s important to me and I see a lot more clearly where I’ve compromised on “good enough” in my life.
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Laura, this is well said. Church membership and attendance has been declining for awhile. I think people are remaining faithful, just not attending a place where hypocrisy is too present. My greatest pet peeve has always been bigotry from the pulpit, as I see that as a gross dereliction in duties. Keith
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lukewarm acceptance – perfectly said
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I know a few too many people in this category.
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Same
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Absolutely spot on!
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Truth indeed.
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He said it so well.
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Absolutely.
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👍👍👍
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