Several centuries ago the greatest writer in history described the two most menacing clouds that hang over human government and human society as "malice domestic and fierce foreign war." We are not rid of these dangers but we can summon our intelligence to meet them. Never was there more genuine reason for Americans to face down these two causes of fear. "Malice domestic" from time to time will come to you in the shape of those who would raise false issues, pervert facts, preach the gospel of hate, and minimize the importance of public action to secure human rights or spiritual ideals. There are those today who would sow these seeds, but your answer to them is in the possession of the plain facts of our present condition. . Franklin D. Roosevelt
About This Quote

In his book, "The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language," William Morris says, "malice domestic" means a person or group of people who are evil, who wish to do harm to another person or group of people. In other words, they are bad people. In this quote, Martin Luther King Jr., who was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement, talks about how it is important to be aware of those who wish to do harm and want to use falsehoods to try and divide people. He also explains that there are those today who would try and divide people by using falsehoods about their rights and spiritual ideals.

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