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It is painful beyond measure to lose a loving father and grandmother to violence.

Bernice King

My first introduction to South Africa’s struggle for freedom came when I was just 17. I had volunteered to speak in my mother’s stead at a United Nations forum on South Africa because she was unable to attend on that occasion.
BERNICE KING

Attend Freedom Introduction Myself Occasion Struggle Volunteer
Each of us must decide whether it is more important to be proved right or to provoke righteousness.
BERNICE KING

Choice Decision Evidence Important Right
People have labeled me homophobic. If I was homophobic, I wouldn’t have friends who are gay and lesbian, so that can’t be true.
BERNICE KING

Friendship Label Myself People True
We cannot afford to regard as normal the presence of injustice, inhumanity, and violence, including their verbal and cyber manifestations.
BERNICE KING

Afford Manifestation Normal Presence
King-ian nonviolence is a way of thinking and living and is not confined to the work of social and systemic change.
BERNICE KING

Change Live Social System Thinking Violence Way
When I think about some of the policies that we make in this country, the policies are so self-driven.
BERNICE KING

Country Drive Myself Policies Thinking
Before my mother was a King, she climbed trees and wrestled with boys. And won. Even as a child, Coretta Scott demonstrated that her gender would not deter her success, nor did it detract from her strength.
BERNICE KING

Children Climb Demonstration Mom Strength Success Tree
We are carrying collectively a lot of trauma, especially those of us in the African-American community. And if we’re not careful, it’ll overtake us, and we’ll self-destruct.
BERNICE KING

Carry Collection Community Destruction Ourselves Trauma
Nelson Mandela, a better man, not a bitter man, made our world a better place in which to live. His life and leadership exemplify the highest courage, dignity, and dedication to human liberation.
BERNICE KING

Better Dedication Human Leadership Liberty Man Place World
Some of the aspects of my speaking style are inherited and come naturally to me. I didn’t take classes, and I didn’t do anything to hone my skills.
BERNICE KING

Aspect Class Inheritance Myself Skill Style
My dad was one who – he was nonpartisan, first of all. He learned to work with whatever administration was in office.
BERNICE KING

Administration Father Himself Learning Office Work
After acknowledging that most law enforcement personnel are fair-minded and do a difficult job, it only takes one exception to create a terrible tragedy.
BERNICE KING

Acknowledgement Difficult Exception Law Mindset Oneself Terrible Tragedy
In addition to a stronger focus on better training for law enforcement, America urgently needs programs to provide jobs and educational opportunities in economically depressed communities.
BERNICE KING

Addition Community Depression Job Need Program Strong Training
If people want to criticize me, that’s their issue.
BERNICE KING

Criticism Issues Myself People
When my father died, the money he left us would have dried up within a year were it not for my mother. We might very well have ended up on welfare.
BERNICE KING

Death End Father Mom Money Ourselves
In the end, I still have the same hope as my father – that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the last word.
BERNICE KING

Conditional End Father Hope Myself Word
I don’t know if you realize this, but anger is anger. It has no mind. It has no rationality. It’s mad, and it just wants to destroy.
BERNICE KING

Angry Madness Mindset Ration Realization Yourself
As I reflect on the legacy of my father, the greatest aspect is his legacy of peace.
BERNICE KING

Father Himself Legacy Peace Reflection
You will encounter misguided people from time to time. That’s part of life. The challenge is to educate them when you can, but always to keep your dignity and self-respect and persevere in your personal growth and development.
BERNICE KING

Challenge Development Education Growth Guide Life People Perseverance Time Yourself
I spend a lot of time meditating, which is something that I don’t think most people know about me.
BERNICE KING

Meditation Myself People Time
The time has long since come for truth, transparency, and talks in every sector of society, including media, advertisement and entertainment. We can challenge each other, gain understanding, and create a more just, humane, and peaceful world.
BERNICE KING

Entertainment Human Peace Time Transparent Truth World
Without my ministry, I would just be Martin Luther King’s daughter. You know, when people call me that, it doesn’t bother me anymore. I know I am not my father. I know I am me.
BERNICE KING

Call Daughter Father Ministry Myself People
Somehow, we have to realize that what we watch and what we listen to not only often reflects our most violent tendencies but cultivates more violence.
BERNICE KING

Listening Ourselves Realization Reflection Violent Watch
Occasionally, in the afternoons, I catch a movie, watch football, go to Sunday brunch, or visit with family and friends.
BERNICE KING

Family Food Friendship Movie Myself Occasion
My mother made countless sacrifices so that her children – and all children – could grow up in a better nation and world.
BERNICE KING

Better Count Growth Mom Nation Sacrifice World
Nonviolence will empower and equip us to bring generations to the table and fuse our knowledge, gifts, and zeal together.
BERNICE KING

Empowerment Equipment Fusion Generation Knowledge Ourselves Togetherness Violence
In 1985, I was arrested, along with my mother and brother, Martin III, in a protest against apartheid at the South African Embassy in Washington, D.C.
BERNICE KING

Arrest Mom Myself Politics Protest

It is painful beyond measure to lose a loving father and grandmother to violence.

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It is painful beyond measure to lose a loving father and grandmother to violence.

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