"The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."

Former President Barack Obama frequently cited a quote by Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.  Apparently, he liked the quote so much that he had it woven into a rug in the Oval Officer during his time as President of the United States.  Apparently, Dr. King used the quote a number of times as well, though he first used it in a 1958 article for "The Gospel Messenger" in the following:


Evil may so shape events that Caesar will occupy a palace and Christ a cross, but one day that same Christ will rise up and split history into A.D. and B.S., so that even the life of Caesar must be dated by his name.  Yes, "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."

The quote comes from a Unitarian minister and prominent abolitionist named Theodore Parker, who first used the quote in a 1853 collection of sermons called "Ten Sermons of Religion" (the quote appears in the third sermon, entitled "Of Justice and the Conscience"):


Look at the facts of the world. You see a continual and progressive triumph of the right. I do not pretend to understand the moral universe, the arc is a long one, my eye reaches but little ways. I cannot calculate the curve and complete the figure by the experience of sight; I can divine it by conscience. But from what I see I am sure it bends towards justice.

The important point to realize, however, is that even though the arc bends toward justice, it doesn't do so willingly or automatically!  It requires effort.  It requires dedication and commitment.  And it requires perseverance.

What can we do to bend the arc?  Register to vote and vote.  Help with “get out the vote” efforts.  Educate yourself on the key issues of the day - there are many.  Become politically active.  Write your local, state, and government officials. Find an organization that does work in an area you are passionate about.  Donate money to the cause. Or even better - volunteer!  Encourage others to volunteer.  Advocate.  Do whatever you can do to help.  Remember - leaders lead.  Together, and only together, can we bend the arc of the moral universe back towards justice.