In honor of Martin Luther King Day, I wanted to share some of his words of wisdom regarding social change. There are many quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. which can be applied to the no kill movement. I will include just a few here. Please share additional quotes from Dr. King in the comments which you feel are relevant to our work.
“Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal.”
Just as the Holocaust was legal, so is the abuse and needless killing of pets in our shelters. This is why we need CAPA passed in every state.
“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.”
There are those who will look the other way, make excuses or outright lie to whitewash the abuse and killing happening at their local shelters. I call them enablers.
“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.”
What is needed in every community where the municipal shelter is killing pets is for someone to stand up and speak out; to have the uncomfortable conversation; to risk becoming the target of a smear campaign. If not you, it will be no one.
LOVE this post! Especially the part about enablers…
Great post!
There are so many incredible words from Dr. King. Here’s two quotes I feel are relevant to the No Kill movement:
On some positions, Cowardice asks the question, “Is it safe?” Expediency asks the question, “Is it politic?” And Vanity comes along and asks the question, “Is it popular?” But Conscience asks the question “Is it right?” And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must do it because Conscience tells him it is right.
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
G-R-E-A-T post! I also like the enablers part too!
ps. happy you found it in your heart to give Fb a ‘try’…been telling people about you and now maybe they’ll read it!
Do realize that standing up to city officials in the shelter can put your own pets at risk, but also I agree we can’t just walk away.
Dr. King was an incredible man with so many good thoughts. We all could learn from him. Thank you so much for posting some of his quotes of wise words.