Nonviolent Protests: A Comparative Analysis

?The Ways Of Meeting Oppression,? by Martin Luther king Jr., gives an over view of how one man classifies his ways of dealing with oppression and how they were dealt with during segregation. . During the first half of the twentieth century segregation was the way of life in the south. It was excepted, and even though it was morally wrong, it still went on, as it there was nothing wrong with it. African Americans were treated as if they where a somehow sub-human, they were treated because of the color of their skin that somehow, someway they were different. Some African Americans began to ?tacitly adjust themselves to oppression?(King), or as King saw it acquiescence. Others began to stand up for themselves but in a matter that involved violence. There where those that stood up for themselves by using nonviolence resistance which was Dr. King?s ideal method of dealing with oppression. ?Nonviolence is the answer to the racial, political and moral question. . .the need for man to overcome oppression and violence. . .?(King). This captures both Dr. King?s powerful feeling and stance on nonviolence as the way to winning the respect of the oppressors. Like Martin Luther king Jr. I to have learned the strategies of how people deal with the three types of oppression which are: acquiescence, violence, and non-violence resistance, but trough historical instances and my personal experiences in the past.

All through history governments and empires have been overthrown or defeated primarily by the violence of those who oppose them. This violence was usually successful however, there have been several situations, when violence failed, that protesters have had to turn to other methods. Non-violent protesting never seemed to be the right course of action until the ideology of Mohandas Gandhi spread and influenced successful protests across the world. Non-violent methods were successfully used, most notably, by Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Nelson Mandela.

“We affirm the philosophical or religious ideal of nonviolence as the foundation of our purpose, the pre-supposition of our faith, and the manner of our action” (371), is the mission statement of the organization Student Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) that clearly portrays its philosophy of nonviolence in the struggle against racial injustice and inequality. Nonviolence is one of the most important philosophies that is most relevant today in many cases and also remains important in the struggle against the racial injustice and inequality. Organizations of African-Americans today still believe in nonviolence as the way of facing the racial injustice and inequality. They take their action against the racial injustice and inequality by following the rules and regulations rather committing any violent crime. And, I

Non-violence is a peaceful strategy people used in the 1900’s to revolt against the government. Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Mohandas Gandhi had the most success in changing the way we live today. How did they get nonviolence to work? Well they were very disobedient, disciplined, and determined to make a change in society.

In America, violence never has or will solve problems; it only makes them worse. Martin Luther King Jr. was a major leader in the Civil Rights Movement and often sought out to inform others that violence was not the answer and peaceful protest was; claiming that “… rifles [wouldn’t] solve their problems” (Source A). King also claimed that peace yielded better results than violence and was heavily against the Vietnam War. He knew that America as a country had sent thousands of men away; men who were brothers, sons, husbands, and neighbors off “miles away to guarantee liberties” they did not have in the United States. (Source A).

A voice has more power than a fist. During the civil rights movement of the nineteen fifties and nineteen sixties, African Americans were discriminated against for having a darker completion. This segregation took place predominantly in the South, and strict laws prevented most African Americans from living a normal life. Though discriminated against, black Americans started a movement that mostly involved a non violence approach for the situation. Education and respect from white Americans were the basis of the movement. Peaceful resistance to laws positively impact a free society, which is demonstrated through Martin Luther King Jr. and other fellow leaders during the civil rights movement.

The success of the fight for racial equality, also known as the Civil Rights Movement, in the United States was characterized by major campaigns of civil resistance. Between the 1950s and the 1960s, civil rights activists practiced non violence in hopes to end racial segregation and discrimination across the country and worldwide. Leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr., Jim Lawson, and John Lewis believed strongly in this philosophy of nonviolence as the key of success for the Civil Rights Movement.

In the 1950s till present day we still use nonviolent resistance to stand up for what we believe is right. Nonviolent resistant protests were one way for Civil Rights leaders used to advance their cause in the 1950s and 1960s. These protests lead to the Civil Rights act of 1964. This act outlawed discrimination based on color, race, religion, sex, or national origin. It starts with civil disobedience, which is the act of opposing a law one considers unjust and peacefully disobeying it while accepting the consequences. This was the case in some protests where they felt laws were unfair, unjust, and unconstitutional. I believe that peaceful resistance to laws positively impacts a free society using the Montgomery Bus Boycott, The March on Washington, and the Salt March as my three examples of nonviolent resistance protests that positively impacted a free society.

These non-violent cases include one of the most popular civil disobedience cases of all time, involving Rosa Parks refusing to exchange seats with a Caucasian man on a non-segregated bus. She was later arrested for this action against a white person. This caused a revolt from the African American community in the city of Montgomery, Alabama. Many African Americans began a boycott over the public bus system and began walking throughout the town to get to their desired location. These actions sent shockwaves through the country and inspired other African Americans to protest. As the amount of demonstrations increased the government began to take action to make blacks and whites equal in the workplace, but also in social environments. As the Equal Rights Movement progressed, businesses though out the United States began to allow African Americans to work for them and decreased social discrimination. I think that by peacefully protesting during this time saved a lot of African Americans lives and it also brought attention to the subject of racial

During the period of 20 years between 1950 and 1970, black Americans were able to improve their level of civil rights. Therefore, it is logical to say that they were at least partly successful in achieving their civil rights. This was accomplished through a variety of ways, two commonly used techniques being legal strategies and non-violent direct action. However, because they were unable to attain complete equality, there must have been factors that worked against the civil rights movement. One of these factors was the use of violence as a means of protest.

Non-violent resistance is the best resistance. “This was always a cry that we had to set before people that our aim is not to defeat the white community, but to win the friendship of all persons who had perpetrated this system in the past.” (Teaching). Don’t humiliate the enemy when you can get them on your side. Some of the most powerful movements where MLK’s peaceful protest. “Nonviolent protest is the most effective weapon against a racist and unjust society” (Andrew March). The Montgomery Bus Boycott, and the March on Washington are two peaceful protests that fist come two mind from MLK, and both where very effective. With peaceful protest the step in the revolution for equality had a

From the Boston Tea Party of 1773, the Civil Rights Movement and the Pro-Life Movement of the 1960s, to the Tea Party Movement and Occupy Wall Street Movement of current times, “those struggling against unjust laws have engaged in acts of deliberate, open disobedience to government power to uphold higher principles regarding human rights and social justice” (DeForrest, 1998, p. 653) through nonviolent protests. Perhaps the most well-known of the non-violent protests are those associated with the Civil Rights movement. The movement was felt across the south, yet Birmingham, Alabama was known for its unequal treatment of blacks and became the focus of the Civil Rights Movement. Under the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr., president of

Mary, reading your response provoked me to want to make a sign and go protest in the streets. I actually was getting motivated thinking about how we as females can make a change in this world. How we should bond together to help each other and the less fortunate. I have a feeling that we need to become politically involved in order to make changes. We need to stick up for our rights and against discrimination. Just this week the U.S. Women Soccer Team waged a discrimination lawsuit claiming that they were paid almost four times less than the men's team, despite generating nearly $20 million more in revenue. Maybe the millennial generation of females will demand higher wages and equal pay as their male counterparts and we all will benefit as

Non- violent movements are a way for groups of people to achieve change and create an impact in the society. The labor, African American, and Vietnam anti-war peace movements were significantly successful in abolishing harsh working conditions, gaining civil rights for blacks, and withdrawing from the Vietnam War (Upchurch). Non-violent and violent movements have been used throughout history to evoke change in the society, obtain equality, civil rights, and peace. While violent protest result in the same changes, non-violent methods can ultimately go beyond local violent protest, spread nationally through movements, and protest without requiring violence. These events because of the non-violent

To point out violence often leads to more violence. From violence comes a lot of rage and madness knowing people's personal rights are being abused. “Infants were tossed into the air and used as targets for machine guns,” (Wiesel 6). When the Germans would kill the innocent infants brutally the Jews would get angered. In another situation Michael Brown was unarmed when he was shot by a police officer, when it was said he was innocent, therefore it created massive protest and crime in Ferguson (The New York Times). When the officer shot him it raged, people because they knew this wasn't fair and they were not going to tolerate this type of violence so they protested. Violence will often promote more violence, no matter what it is, the entire world will never agree that one type of violence is acceptable. The more violence the harder it gets to tolerate things because it's not equal to