Viewpoint: April 4

You know, Dr. King once said that the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. It bends toward justice. But here’s the thing: it doesn't bend on its own. It bends because each of us puts our hands on that arc and bends it in the direction of justice. Because we organize and we mobilize, we march, we vote, we parent, we’re active in our community, we’re active in our schools.

So on this day - of all days - let's each do our part to bend that arc.

Let's bend that arc toward justice.

Let's bend that arc toward opportunity.

Let's bend that arc toward prosperity for all.

And if we can do that and march together - as one nation, and one people - then we won't just be keeping faith with what Dr. King’s dream, all that he lived and died for, we'll be making real the words of Amos that he invoked so often, and "let justice roll down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream."

--Barack Obama, April 4, 2008. The highlighted sentence was not in the text released before the speech, but it is on the video here.