Though some would argue that people should not take responsibility for solving problems that affect their communities and nation, I strongly believe that they should. Without people rising up and taking initiative, no progress can be made in society. The actions of Martin Luther King and Thomas Jefferson show that taking responsibility in solving problems that affect a nation leads to the formation of a better society. Martin Luther King’s advocacy for civil rights eventually allowed African - Americans to thrive in America. Also, Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence allowed America to become its own country with much liberty. Martin Luther King’s willingness to help out his nation caused America to accept people of all colors. In 1963, Martin Luther King made a speech titled I Have a Dream. This speech was made on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in front of 250,000 people. He pleaded that African - Americans deserved equal rights as caucasians. Because he took the initiative, African - Americans eventually recieved the same oppurtunities as people of other races. Nowadays, African - Americans have the same jobs and go to the same colleges as other Americans. This all stems from Martin Luther King’s willingness to take responsibility to help out his nation. Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence allowed America to become its own country. By 1776, like most Americans, Thomas Jefferson was frustrated with his living conditions. He knew that Americans