Intolerable Injustice

Intolerable Injustice

            In both the work by Dr. King and Peter Hans-Kolvenbach there is an emphasis on injustice and how it must be dealt with. Both go about tackling the idea of injustice in similar but yet different ways. What is most important though is that injustice cannot be tolerated.

            Dr. King was a proponent of direct action. He knew that one could not sit back or just talk about injustice and get anything done. King knew that if anything was to be achieved action had to be taken. Though King promoted direct action, he was strongly against the use of violence. King knew the use of violence would hurt his cause more than it would help. Two of Kings most poignant points were: “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” (King 1), and that defying an unjust law is, in fact, giving the highest respect to the law. King knew action had to taken but, it had to be calculated.

            Kolvenbach was also an advocate of direct action but in a different way. In his article Kolvenbach writes about fighting for justice through the use of service. When one sees injustice it is his/her duty to fight against it. Jesuits Universities teach their students to do just that. They are taught to see injustice in the world and find ways to serve. The agenda of Jesuits Universities can best be explained as, "The dignity of human life, the promotion of

justice for all, the quality of personal and family life, the protection of nature, the search for peace and political stability, a more just sharing in the world's resources, and a new economic and political order that will better serve the human community at a national and international level" (Kolvenbach 12).

            Though they approach it in different ways, both King and Kolvenbach advocate against injustice. They both agree that injustice cannot and should not be tolerated in society. It is the duty of people to fight against the injustice in the world and be the change they want to see.