Date: January 20, 2014
Place: Heaven or a reasonable facsimile
Martin Luther King glances over at Malcolm X. From their fluffy perch in the clouds, they were both watching as MLK’s holiday played out.
Malcolm: I don’t know, Martin. It doesn’t look like they are making much progress toward social justice from where I sit.
Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin: It is disappointing. I thought we were getting somewhere until recently. Now that the voices of the far right are so easily accessible, my ears are filled with words of hate and selfishness. The far left isn’t any better.
Malcolm: I told you this would happen. All your so-called passive resistance accomplished was to have more black people than ever thrown into jails and penitentiaries.
Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone; but if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery.
Malcolm X
Martin: Your way would have resulted in bloodshed. Lots of it.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Malcolm: So where’s the love, Martin? Our people are still poor and uneducated. They still can’t get good jobs, for the most part. True, many have managed to escape the trap of poverty and achieve some manner of personal wealth, but what good has that done?
You show me a capitalist, and I'll show you a bloodsucker.
Malcolm X
Martin: It takes time, Malcolm. If we love those who continue to keep us down, they will eventually come to understand their hate and discard it.
I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Malcolm: Well, you certainly got your message across better than I did, I guess. Which one of us has a national holiday?
They both chuckle. They both stare down at the people and shake their heads.
Power never takes a back step only in the face of more power.
Malcolm X
