Obama And Mlk Comparison Essay

Obama and Martin Luther King Jr. are very common in many ways. They both are trying to make America a better place for all races but the only thing is, nowadays our economy is the thing that needs fixing. They both had a dream. They both were African American men. They both had a starting point and they both made history. Last but not least, they both were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
We remember King as the man who stood up to be a leader of a nation-changing movement. We forget that King was widely criticized during his life. The American media derided this Nobel Peace Prize recipient for speaking out against the Vietnam War. Many argued King had overdone and had little right to weigh in on worldly matters. Even though vicious attacks, unfair actions, and attempts on his life, many young leaders mocked King for being radical and brave in the face of racial attacks. One of the most gifted speakers of any age, in the final months of his life, Martin Luther King Jr. had trouble filling an auditorium for a public address.
I have criticisms of President Obama. He has escalated rather than ended our country's war effort. His health care initiative is not going to include a public option. But I am grateful that great change can be achieved even through imperfect leadership. Obama can help this country as he concentrates on the countries needs only. Barack Obama is not the leader of a progressive social movement; he is the president. As president he is both more powerful than Dr. King and more structurally constrained. He has more institutional power at his disposal and more crosscutting constituencies demanding his attention. He has more powerful allies and more powerful opponents. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a political philosopher and dedicated freedom fighter, but he was also a political strategist. Seen through the perfecting lens of martyrdom, King appears to be a progressive leader, by seemingly many challenges, willing to risk all to achieve the goals of...