King Giving Equal Rights Essay

What could be more important than the equality of rights for all American citizens? Women have tried without success for 80 years to be acknowledged as equals in our Constitution through an Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). Currently there is nothing in the United States Constitution that guarantees a woman the same rights as a man. The only equality women have with men is the right to vote. In order to protect women’s rights on the same level as men, I am in favor of an Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution today.

What is law? Law is a system of rules used to govern a society and control the behaviors of its members. In this case, Martin Luther King is charged for breaking a law. King questions the differences between just and unjust laws to justify his actions in Birmingham and the charges of breaking laws willingly. Defending his willingness to break laws, King argues, “How can you advocate breaking laws and obeying other?” He answers to accusation of his willingness to break laws with a well-written argument of what is just and unjust laws. Martin Luther King uses the definition, the categories, and the implication of the law excellently to answer the charges of breaking laws willingly.

African American people have come a long way from the illiterate slaves, who were once picking cotton in fields, to powerful political leaders. A prime example would be President Barack Obama, the first African American president of the United States of America. But first we must ask ourselves, how did this occur? Who lead African Americans to better living standards? Civil rights leaders, such as Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, and Rosa Parks, just to name a few. However, among these great names in history, there is one that stands out, and that man is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King gave hope to those in need with his awe inspiring sermons he performed at the church his grandfather founded. He changed foes to

Martin Luther King, Jr. sat in Birmingham jail not because he committed a crime but because he took part in a non-violent demonstration. King received an invite to a nonviolent demonstration by a local church and was later jailed for his actions (King 1). While in jail, King reflected on the injustice in not only Birmingham, but the world as well. King addressed injustice as a universal wrong which can only be undone by people themselves and not by action forced by the government. He quickly announced that keeping the peace and obeying the law are not the same, the people ahead do not simply relinquish their role because of the selfishness of the human nature. Those who are oppressed will seek to leave injustice behind. Martin Luther

unjust” (Banks 1). “Principle four – accept suffering without retaliation for the sake of the cause to achieve the goal – this characterizes that nonviolent resistance is a willingness to accept suffering without retaliation, to accept blows from the opponent without striking back; accept the violence, if necessary; but to never inflict violence on another” (Banks 2). “Principle five – avoid internal violence of the spirit, as well as, external physical violence – a nonviolent resister not only refuses to fight or shoot his opponent, but he also refuses to hate him; at the center of nonviolence stands the principle of love for one another” (Banks 2). “Principle six – the universe is on the side of justice – this basic fact pertaining to nonviolent resistance is that it is based on the conviction that the universe is on the side of justice which is positive peace, consequently, the believer in nonviolence has a deep faith in the future and therefore, can accept suffering without retaliation. There is a creative force in this universe, that by whatever name we decide to call it, it works to bring the disconnected aspects of reality into a harmonious whole; a universal wholeness for each of us to share with one another and that nonviolence is both the means and the end” (Banks 3). Dr. King also had a couple of

Dr. King was looking for support from members of society in order to create an effective change in society’s ethics. Moreover, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s large audience and public movement used nonviolent tactics, such as sit-ins, marches, and freedom rides to put the Civil Rights Movement in action. Before directly acting against the law, Dr. King had used other means to try to obtain justice for all; he used the four basic steps of a nonviolent campaign to decide how he would approach this cultural issue of racism: determination of whether injustices exist, negotiation, self-purification, and direct action (King 1). After the first three steps of his nonviolent campaign proved to be ineffective, he decided to seek direct action through a large demonstration of civil disobedience. Dr. King had a tremendous impact on the segregation issue in not just Birmingham, but the entire country, by leading the Civil Rights Movement, which eventually helped influence anti-segregation legislation such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that affected a massive population of the entire country. Although Dr. King’s journey ended in his assassination, his relentless passion for equal rights was empowering to many and helped to create a more just society.

Dr. King was a sensational leader. He led African Americans in nonviolent protests to fight for their freedom and equality. He taught them to fight with their mouth and not with their hands. He was a man of peace, so he did not believe in violence.

To begin with, one must use non-violent means to find a peaceful solution in order to achieve true freedom and defend their civil rights. According to “Letter from Birmingham Jail” King expressed that “my friend and I must say to you that we have not made a civil right without determined legal non-violent pressure.” This shows how King wants to secure civil rights with using non-violence methods. Furthermore, King also stated, “to deny citizens the first amendment privilege of peace assembly and protest.” This reveals that when King protested he protested to secure his civil rights by using nonviolent methods.

Peace and brotherhood cannot be achieved through aggression, so King chose the strategy of nonviolent direct action. A sense of injustice, sympathy to his friends, family and even strangers encouraged King to start nonviolent direct action. The importance was that King fought not only for the rights of people of color, but also for the rights of all the exploited people. It shows his understanding and love for

King was an excellent speaker and preacher at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama and rose in the ranks at the beginning of the movement during the Montgomery Bus-boycott. His teachings encouraged more peaceful movements such as sit-ins; the freedom rides and the famous Selma-Montgomery march for voting rights. Some of this call for peaceful change can be seen in the quote by King when receiving his Nobel Peace Prize,

The Equal Rights Amendment was passed by the both house of congress in 1972, then it was sent to all fifty states legislatures for Ratification. Only 35 out of 38 states ratified the bill. The reason behind this amendment was that many felt that women weren't protected by the 14th amendment, since it was written for males. Equality is equal right among people and it fairness for all, something that was already said in the constitution as part of the 14th amendment. So the reopening isn't necessary. The content might be directed towards males but things have changed and women too are protected. Also, because anytime males are drafted into the army the females will also be drafted. It, also didn't work out even with what they went though, which was protest, marches, rally, etc. this are some reason why the ERA shouldn't be open again.

One of the arguments that King makes to strengthen Negro communities is to not cooperate with evil. King means to not cooperate with people who are not respectfully treating Negroes. In his speech he declared, "Along with the march as a weapon for change in our nonviolent arsenal must be listed the boycott. Basic to the philosophy of nonviolence is the refusal to

King disagreed with acquiescing and violence but agrees with the oppressed that non-violent resistance is a way to achieving freedom. Peacefully protesting can bring better change than violence. King wrote, “The principle of non-violent resistance seeks to reconcile the truths of two opposites – the acquiescence and violence- while avoiding the extremes and immoralities of both”. The use of non-violent resistance not only brings greater change, but also corresponds somewhat with acquiescence and violence. A non-violent resister would favor a person who acquiesces by agreeing that physical aggression is an immoral thing to do.

Whether they're about discrimination, and segregation he stood up for what he believed in. To segregate is to separate from others. King did it all in a peaceful way never did he use violence an example of this is the letters from a Birmingham jail. They had a protest there and everyone that was protesting got arrested because at that place it wasn't

Martin Luther King Jr.’s The Ways of Meeting Oppression is a division and classification essay in which King explains people being oppressed and people meeting oppression. “Historically, oppressed people have responded to their oppression in negative ways and resulting in either death or prolonging their oppression,” states King (465). MLK challenges the oppressed to meet oppression positively and effectively. In his own essay, he examines and discusses the three characteristics of meeting oppression. He divides and classifies them ranging from ineffective to the most effective way.