We must in strength and humility meet hate with love. Of course, this is not practical. Life is a I,- matter of getting even, of hitting back, of dog eat dog. May- be in some distant Utopia, you say, that idea will work, but not in the hard, cold world in which we live. My friends, we have followed the so-called Practical way for too long a time now, and it has led inexorably to deeper confusion and chaos.
Time is cluttered with the wreckage of communities which surrendered to hatred and violence.
For the salvation of our nation and the salvation of mankind, we must follow another way. This does not mean that we abandon our righteous efforts. With every ounce of our energy we must continue to rid this nation of the incubus of segregation. But we shall not in the process relinquish our privilege and our obligation to love. While abhorring segregation, we shall love the segregationist.