“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
We are living in an age that many did not expect to see. The ruler of the free world is a man who just 45 years ago wouldn’t have been able to vote, attend certain schools or travel safely throughout his own country. Barack Obama’s victory for many is a symbol of hope. Reports and studies are already being done calculating the Obama effect, the positive changes in young Blacks around America. Obama becoming president has inspired youths and challenged them to believe that yes they can.
But Obama is not the only black man to ever inspire a generation. The original Yes We Can man persuaded many with his non-violent approach to ending segregation and promoting equality. If it wasn’t for what Martin Luther King Jr. stood for decades ago who knows how successful a Barack Obama would have been even in 2009.
Martin Luther King Jr. was symbolic of what one has the potential to achieve even when difficulties are present. He was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, while still having to protest for justice in his own country.
Born a preacher’s kid and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, King hardly seemed like a man who would grow up to lead over 250 000 in a march in Washington and deliver a speech that would be remembered forever.
Although he did not live to see the full magnitude of his work, because he stood, I and others can stand proudly.
While King has passed his influence can be seen in many. King represents everyone who has ever imagined a better life, even when it seemed impossible. He is the heart of those who dare to do things that need to be done. King is not a hero but a conqueror, one who triumphed over evil.
Even in death King is a reason for change, empowerment and love. As he said, “hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.”
So while many are calculating the Obama effect on the Black population, I will be remembering the King effect. The effect that allowed men like Obama to achieve their dreams.
well presented argument...For public speaking though I'd give it to King for now based on the number of speeches/sermons etc. that he has conducted and the times when he was doing so. Obama's words, while inspiring, will probably never have the same effect as King's.
Well written article, well stated comments (opinions)... Regardless of who had the advantage over who in what category, Obama and King both have proven to promote change for the better of our nation. In my mind, I knew that whatever Obama was going to say at his inagural address would have sufficed... regardless of his comparison with King's speeches. Even if Obama has the overall advantage in the comparison between the two, it is important to remember that, as fundamentally stated in the article, it is solely because of King why men like Obama have this pivotal opportunity to achieve their dreams... Thus, there should be no need for comparison as King and Obama support one another.
pioneers are awesome
lets break this down... OBAMA v. KING
intellectualism:
Obama self-admittedly, barely studied in high school, and still managed to get into Occidental College and later Colombia University. and of course we all know that he was the first Black president of the Harvard Law Review as well.... King on the other hand, while no doubt incredibly intelligent, was caught plagiarizing huge parts of his doctoral thesis at Boston University. ADVANTAGE: OBAMA
public speaking:
whoa... now we have a horse race. of course King's "I have a dream speech" might be the most famous oratory EVER. on the other hand, while its soaring rhetoric was fantastic, it still consisted mostly of platitudes. Now Obama's "A More Perfect Union" speech was not only inspiring, it saved his campaign, and SUBSTANTIVELY dealt with race relations in a manner that America had never seen before from a politician. it changed the tenor in which American politics are conducted, forever.
This is before we even look at Obama's 2004 DNC speech, which essentially made him a star. ADVANTAGE OBAMA.
transcendent moment:
while Obama may be the better overall speaker, King's "I have a dream" speech, is still the "I have a dream" speech... and as much as I love Obama, his inaugural address which could have possibly reached that level, was a bit of a letdown. ADVANTAGE KING
... i could keep going, but i realized this could be an entire article in and of itself...