Martin Luther King Jr.

Why does the author feel that whites owe King the greatest debt?
"for liberating them from the burden of America's centuries-old hypocrisy about race."
This excerpt is essentially saying that while it helped stop segregation, it also allowed white people to act with good morals, and not be an outcast when they supported a black person. As ridiculas as it sounds, segregation was tough on white people too- they always had to watch what they said, and not disagree with the social hierarchy, or they themselves would be treated badly.

Was King "the right man at the right time"?
The way I see it, MLK jr. was such a passionate and powerful leader, his presence would be felt regardless of decade or century. His message did not just coincide with the Civil Rights Movement, it caused it. Obviously he was not the only one that contributed, but it would not have been the same without him.

Would King be upset with the current use of his most often quoted line? Why or why not?
MLK jr's most famous line is being used by people against affirmative action, while he would most likely support it if he were alive today. He would be infuriated if he found out that his words were being used in such a senseless way. Affirmative action is, essentially, everything that MLK jr. was fighting for, and he would never go against it.