In his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke of the “appalling silence” of those which are naturally good. , but refuse to take action, expressing that non-expression is a greater evil than any radical point of view. To this group, to you who cannot vote, who cannot denounce injustice, who cannot express any opinion, I ask you: does this silent part of the population still exist, quietly living its life and creating minimal impact on the world around him, or are King's messages outdated and outdated in modern society? Are you the modern representatives of this unfortunate group? These “good people” exist in large numbers in the United States, and the nation must pay for their inactivity. Laws that are not supported by majority opinion, the lack of political influence of the majority… society cannot benefit in any way from the silence of these people. Assuming they are left behind and forgotten by the system, these non-participants become resentful of their isolation and perpetuate the vicious cycle of inactivity. The “silent majority” of the American people is now accepted as the status quo, as things always have been. been and will be. Voter turnout is now the litmus test of political participation. Abstainers are increasingly widespread in our democracy, with turnout hovering around 60% for general elections. At this rate, a candidate would need to win more than 80% of that 60% of the vote to gain true majority support. Thus, inactivity during voting threatens the very legitimacy of our government. In the recent midterm elections on November 7, 2013, a few counties reported that only 4% of eligible voters actually participated, in some cases to vote for a political referendum that would affect...... middle of paper. ...Throughout their lives, stuck in a self-centered world consisting only of small, immediate needs, without any thought about the possible harmful consequences of their refusal to express themselves, these people refuse to act. As a majority, we do not act; we are complacent. We do not take a position; we fear failure and humiliation. We do not lead; we follow. Society has become increasingly passive, tired and complacent. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s idea of ​​the "terrible silence of good people" is as poignant today as it was in the 1960s. If he remains silent on social issues that harm others, the silent majority can be just as damaging to society as any radical viewpoint. If everyone in this silent majority, from non-voters to non-activists to those who don't speak out, stood up for what they believe in, perhaps the world would be radically changed for the better..