Martin Luther King, Jr.

Why does the author feel that whites owe King the greatest debt?
The author believes that the US wouldn't have had the same image as it does today if it wasn't for Martin Luther King, Jr. The US could not call itself the "free world" if there was still segregation all across the South. The author believes that the US could morally compare to South Africa under apartheid. According to the author, the US has its reputation today because of King and his movements.

Was King "the right man at the right time"?
Yes, King was "the right man at the right time" because his actions and movements removed the deep social split between races in America. The segregation at the time of King was intensely against African Americans. Without King, the Civil Rights Movement might not have been as successful as it was to cure the racism in the US. King was able to move the nation ahead of all the racist times and into an integrated country.

Would King be upset with the current use of his most often quoted line? Why or why not?
Yes, he would be upset because his line is being used in the opposite way as it was originally meant. King's line from his famous "I Have A Dream" speech is being used as a slogan for people opposing affirmative action. When King said those words, they were showing the urgency of the issue and the need for immediate change, or affirmative action. His line supporting affirmative action should not be used against it, and King would be upset if he saw what has become of his most famous line.