MLK Talks about Love and Power. Thoughts?

[qwlauren35]

3. My thoughts.

Regarding the quote I posted, I thought the "power without love is reckless and abusive" quote is not only painfully true, but I am afraid that we're about to see it play out over the next four years. But the love without power quote hit me harder. It is a reminder that when King spoke of love, it was NOT the sentimental and anemic kind. It was the powerful kind. It was the determination not only to believe in the goodness of others, but to reach down deep and pull it out. To be determined to show people a mirror of themselves that they cannot stomach, so that they themselves decide to change.

I believe that most people, when they look in the mirror, want to see themselves as good people. (I don't think that's what Trump sees. I think he is fixated on being rich and powerful, and goodness does not fit into his equation.) But when they are being bad people, we have to show them. And perhaps suggest that they can be good without sacrifice. I think that's another thing that is real for people. They see love as weak. The sentimental and anemic love. So they reject it. And then, we must show them that love can be powerful, and that even as they love, they can be powerful people. That they are not mutually exclusive.

I think of the KKK. They want to be powerful. They can not envision a world in which power and love could co-exist. Maybe we can't change them, maybe we can. But it would require us meeting power with power. And hate with love. I'm not sure how we do it, but it's important that we try.