Acquiescence Quote by Martin Luther King Jr
““Not only will we have to repent for the sins of bad people; but we also will have to repent for the appalling silence of good people.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence,” 1967
Good people must not stay silent about injustice, otherwise their silence becomes complicit in wrongdoing.
In simple terms: Silence of the good is as harmful as bad deeds.
Key Takeaway
Speak out against injustice.
Themes
justice
responsibility
silence
Mood
determined
urgent
Type
activist
ethical
When to use this quote
- public protest
- community leadership
- ethical decision making
Key Concepts
moral duty
social activism
Questions to Reflect On
- What injustices are you staying silent about?
- How can you encourage others to speak up?
A Different Perspective
Silence may be driven by fear or self‑preservation.
![“[The purpose of a written constitution is] to bind up the several branches of government by certain laws, which, when they transgress, their acts shall become nullities; to render unnecessary an appeal to the people, or in other words a rebellion, on every infraction of their rights, on the peril…” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/867/thomas-jefferson-43_acquiescence_the-purpose-of-a-written-constitution-is_244689.jpg)
