Same War, Different Tactics If someone were to slap you across your face what would you do? Would you turn your other cheek or would you return the slap back to them? The vast majority of people would not hesitate and quickly as possible slap the person back right before the person leaves. The point here is that there is more than one way we can react towards many situations. Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Greenwalt and readings about the Trump protest talk about the two possible ways people can act towards a political cause, violence or nonviolence. We, with the help of these readings, would look into both perspectives of each technique, their drawbacks & benefits, and the circumstances in which they may or may not be justified. The …show more content…
Furthermore, what makes it more effective and powerful than violence is the people’s ambition. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote in his article “Nonviolence and Racial Justice” that “this method is passive physically but strongly active spiritually; it is nonaggressive physically, but dynamically aggressive spiritually.” By this he means that the reason why nonviolent resister is stronger than a violent resister, is because their hearts and minds are strongly involved. By doing so, they build a strong character and determination in them. Not only that but their mindset is not in winning or humiliating their rival, but to get them to understand their perspective. You know like that saying, “put yourself in other people’s shoes”. Overall, nonviolence is a strategy that one can use and have the same effectiveness or better than violence.
The second technique is violence resistance. Now violence is of course an option yet it has it’s downfalls. It’s first downfall, is that it only creates more violence. King said, “ Violence solves no social problems it merely creates new and more complicated ones” (pg. 45). It’s like a fire. The more you feed it the more it grows and grows. So violence brings forth chaos and by doing so, it is a high probability that the people would lose their focal point. It may cause their own people to end up fighting one another. For instance in the trump
Even with many failures, peaceful resistance is still more efficient than violent resistance. Violence resistance causes problems toward all party and usually does not end well. Peaceful resistance, on the other hand, has a high probability of being successful in its cause. Either way, people should use logical thinking and take actions that will truly make a positive impact toward
All things considered one must devoted to their belief of nonviolence and be willing to suffer without retaliation (Source C), they can not fall victim to anger and fight back, for it would destroy the very principle of the cause. To become a truly successful campaign it should not be run on the basis of humiliating or besting the opponent, rather one should seek friendship and a better understanding of another (Source B). A nonviolent protester should not become bitter of the circumstances the opponent might bestow upon them but rather have open arms and eye for a better future ahead. The central idea of a nonviolent campaign is being able to make changes and spreading peace and love without the use of violence; by pursuing upon this path
In the history of mankind, there has been multiple cases of violent and nonviolent opposition. The question is which of these is more appealing than the other. In violent protest, citizens protest against their opposition with violence such as; rioting, vandalizing, arson, assault, and many other forms of violence. In nonviolent protest citizens will protest their opposition peacefully through calm and non-violent protest. This is also known as civil disobedience. Civil disobedience is the most efficient form of protest in a society.
During his confinement in Birmingham city jail, Martin Luther King Jr., a man of patience and virtue, wrote, “…we who engage in nonviolent direct action are not the creators of tension. We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive” (Ali-Dinar). Throughout his life, King led peaceful protests to further equality and justice in the African American community; many were opposed with police brutality and fierce discrimination. Had it not been for the media, which broadcasted to Americans nationwide, the eyes of the public and the President would have remained shut to the continuing unequal treatment of the law and violent oppression that many African Americans faced. Despite attempts to halt their movement, the protesters
Throughout history, there have been many unfair rules all over the world. There are people who like the rules and people who dislike the rules. Sometimes everybody dislikes the rule and wants change in them. Whenever there is a request of change of the government, the people find many solutions/methods to make the change. One of the solutions is protesting and this method is commonly used for a change. There are two types of protests, violence, and nonviolence. One example of a violent protest is the Birmingham Civil Rights Protest in 1963 and an example of a nonviolent protest is Gandhi’s nonviolent protest for independence. It is believable that nonviolent protest if the most effective way to protest for society because it leaves a great
Martin Luther King Jr. was an American Baptist minister and an activist who became one of the most prominent leaders and spokesperson in the Civil Rights Movement. King used tactics of nonviolence and civil disobedience that was based on his Christian beliefs. King became known for his public speaking ability and continued to rise and speak within his ministry. King graduated from Morehouse with a Bachelor’s degree in sociology and enrolled in Crozier Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania and graduated with a Bachelor of Divinity. After getting married to his wife, Coretta Scott King in 1953, King then began his Doctoral Studies in systematic theology at Boston University and graduated with a Ph.D. In 1957, King and other civil rights activists founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). This group was created to organize the power of black churches to conduct nonviolent protest in the service of the civil rights reform. He was dedicated to this group and led the conference until the day he died. In April 1963, the SCLC began a campaign against racial segregation in Birmingham, Alabama. King used nonviolent but confrontational tactics. During the protests, the Birmingham Police Department used police dogs and high-pressure water jets against the protestors (women and children included). King was arrested and jailed early in the campaign. From his cell, he wrote “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, which is a response to the calls of condemnation on the
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s response letter to the aftermath of the events in Birmingham, entitled “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” begs the question: why does non-violent direct action work? The letter is addressed to eight white clergymen who strongly disagreed with King’s untimely decision to exhibit nonviolent direct action during his protests in Birmingham. In his letter he justifies the need for protests and negotiations against the numerous counts of racial injustice. He addresses the criticism over his untimely choice to protest by countering, “For years now I have heard the word ‘Wait!’…We have waited for more than 340 years for our constitutional and God-given rights” (King 98-99). He goes on to defend his willingness to break the law. Explaining the difference between just and unjust laws, he justifies his morally and ethically correct decision to pursue non-violent direct action. Reflecting upon biblical and historical illustrations, he cites the unjust laws of Nebuchadnezzar and Hitler as examples that do not coincide with the laws of God and are thus meant to be broken; similar to how he feels about segregation laws. Midway through the letter he begins to shift his focus to expressing his disappointment in certain groups of non-supporters; such as the Christian church and the “white moderate,” someone who demands peace, but neglects justice. He closes the letter by apologizing for its excessive length and overstatement of the truth, but hopes it will promote an
For decades, African Americans fought for their rights as equal American citizens. It wasn’t until Martin Luther King Jr. started writing speeches and leading nonviolent protests that the white majority started listening. One of these protests was in Birmingham, Alabama, where King was leading a sit-in at a lunch counter. King and his followers were subjected to violence and arrest for these nonviolence protests for their civil rights. Another way King protested for African American rights were through his famous “I Have a Dream Speech” which acknowledged that, contrary to the government’s belief, not all men are equal. His “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” was his letter to the clergymen who were critical of his activities and his “I Have a Dream
The way peaceful black men get treated today is prevalent to King. In 1963 Dr Martin Luther King Jr, was arrested for protesting the treatment of blacks in Birmingham Alabama. In the “letter from Birmingham jail” he talks about his nonviolent protest steps, and the excessive force he received from Birmingham police officers,” you wouldn’t commend the policemen if you observe their ugly and inhumane treatment of Negros.” (2017). Similar to King, Eric Garner also experienced excessive force by police that also lead to protest from the community.
This method is the most effective way because it produces desirable results without much negative backlash. In nonviolent resistance, the individuals would choose to act in a manner that would demonstrate their assertiveness and determination to solve their problems. The main issue of this method is that it is ineffective with fewer people. For example, a worker may lose his job unfairly and decide to protest. With only himself, he is not going to acquire much result. Now if that individual rallies together those who have also faced the same problem, and supporters, he can cause a huge difference. With a large group of people protesting, these people can raise awareness of their situation to those around them. Gaining even more support from the public would cause the company to consider their actions or provide compensation. This method of dealing with the situation is the most effective because it allows the individual to resolve his problems without accepting any wrong or having to be
When most Americans think of the Civil Rights Movement, their focus automatically goes to Martin Luther King Jr. and the importance of the non-violent protest. In an effort to memorialize the best of the Movement, another voice often gets overlooked as schoolchildren celebrate events like Black History Month. This voice is the one of black anger, something that has been frowned upon by society and turned into a stereotype to marginalize very valid emotions. While the legacy of Civil Rights leaders such as King are important to remember, it does the country and the black community a disservice as a whole if the population forgets that many black citizens were also driven by an anger that was often righteous, or one that they at least had numerous reasons for possessing it. One figure that captures that frustrated spirit is Malcolm X. Because of him, Alex Haley’s The Autobiography of Malcolm X is historically significant for capturing the voice of black anger. Beyond the ability to verbalize black anger, the book is also vital because it reveals the complexity of Malcolm X’s thoughts and how he was able to accept change as an important part of helping the black community. By presenting how such an imposing political and moral leader was able to find a way for his anger to coexist with his ability to be surprisingly open-minded at times, the work becomes an important resource because it helps readers realize that they too have the right to be angry at injustice, if they also
Some of Martin Luther King’s ways to end segregation were nonviolent and direct action. The way the people handled this was amazing but at the same time is was incredibly dangerous. The definition of nonviolent, direct action is using peaceful means rather than force, especially to bring about political or social change. Furthermore, examples of non-violent direct action (also known as nonviolent resistance or civil resistance) include sit-ins, strikes, workplace occupations, blockades, or activism, while violent direct action may include political violence, sabotage, property destruction, or assaults.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” These were words spoken by the one of the civil rights activists Martin L. King Jr. The civil rights movement fought for racial equality for everyone. There were many nonviolent protests that turned violent because of the white Americans. Rosa Parks was a big activist, long before she refused to give up her seat on a bus. There were so many African Americans who got harassed and even killed, because they said the wrong thing. For example Emmett Till who lost his life at age 14, Emmett was brutally murdered by two white men because he said a few wrong words. There was many organizations and marches formed because of the civil rights
Nonviolent resistance is one of the most effective forms of protest in the history of mankind. It has been used as one of the earliest forms of protest. It has been used by the poor people of early Rome to correct grievances they had against the Roman Consul (BK Community). It has been used during the American Revolution to resist British rule (BK Community). Nonviolent resistance has been a tried and true form of protest for as long as time itself, and will be used for future purposes as well.
Violence is an option that is heavily debated when taking action. It can often result in complete chaos and not accomplish the original purpose of the action. Nonviolent direct action is another option that is contemplated. It involves the use of direct action without violent force to get the point of the action known. Examples of nonviolent direct action would include strikes and protests. The use of such action is often best implemented in human experience that involve discrimination. Differences in race, gender, or religious affiliation can often cause discrimination. Individuals in minority groups are seen as unequal to the majority and can be easily be discriminated against. To promote change, minority groups often take actions. The action can either involve violence or exclude it. Violent force can degrade the appearance of the individuals and create more anger between the two opposing sides. The use of non-violent direct action shows more humility of those who are being discriminated against. Others being to understand the issue without creating chaos.