"We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the vitriolic words and actions of the bad people, but for the appalling silence of the good people"

This quote by Martin Luther King Jr. talks to the power of cumulative action and the duty of people to speak up against injustice. He is stating that we need to take responsibility for the wrongs of our society, not just the wrongs of the bad people, however likewise for the wrongs that are perpetuated by the silence of the excellent individuals. He is getting in touch with us to take a stand against oppression and to speak up versus it, instead of stay silent. He is saying that we need to repent for our collective failure to act, and that we need to take duty for the wrongs of our society. He is advising us that we have a duty to speak out against oppression, and that we should do something about it to make sure that justice is served. He is calling on us to be active participants in the fight for justice and equality.