The Impact of Martin Luther King Jr

I'm embarrassed to state that as an African American today was the first time I have completely read Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from a Birmingham Jail"  However after reading the letter i was stunned by how powerful it truly is.  At the time this letter was written our country was in the midst of one of its most racist and hateful periods.  The way the Reverend handled himself and lead the people was so incredible, that the movement is still regarded as the one of the most influential movements in history.  His word were so elegant and yet so powerful.  i imagine that those that this letter was addressed to were just as impressed, even questioning their own intelligence and religious beliefs.  i could not help but wonder after class had ended why the Civil Rights movement seemed to end after Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.  We as African Americans have definitely come a long way since the marches in Birmingham, but I do not feel we have reached the equality the Rev. King was striving for.  i suppose his followers were extremely devastated at the time of his death, maybe even to the point that they felt they could no longer proceed with the movement.  There are so many injustices still committed against minorities today, and not just African Americans.  I feel that some thought as Martin Luther King Jr. was a leader for Blacks, but he was a champion for anyone facing injustice.  As he said in his letter, " Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere".  The spirit of what Martin Luther King Jr. fought for needs to be reborn in our society today.  However, as we mentioned in class today there is power in numbers, and if the masses won't stand up and demand equality among all men our country will continue in the turmoil we are currently in.  We have gotten comfortable with our lives today, so we don't feel the need to achieve a better quality of life.  We have slightly moved away from the more racist stigma of our country, but we are now consumed with classicism.  There are hundreds of thousands of Americans of all races living in run down ghettos, trailer parks, and other poverty stricken communities.  Who is trying to truly help these fellow countrymen.  Martin Luther King Jr. fought for human rights and the conditions that these people live in are definitely violating there human rights.  We live in one of the wealthiest nations in the world, which is why I am amazed by the living conditions of many Americans.  I am confident that if Martin Luther King Jr. was alive today he would be just as appalled.  I wis that we as a people could put our own personal pursuits aside so that we could help others, and I feel that Martin Luther King Jr. was such a great leader because he was able to do this and motivate others to do it as well.