As BLACK LIVES MATTER has propelled itself to the forefront of the American People’s Agenda, and we have gained success in our protesting, rioting and demonstrating efforts, I felt compelled to re-read MLK’s Letter From a Birmingham Jail, and reflect upon it.
Here are 3 takeaways that I think everyone should take note of:
1) HOW SOCIETY DEFINES AN UNJUST LAW
In society today, an unjust law can be classified as a law that degrades human personality. It is also an immoral and deteriorating law that, though it might pertain to a certain group, had no influence from the intended group. Martin Luther says that the direct action procedures of sit ins, marches and boycotts have greatly helped to bring tangible evidence to the injustices faced by the African Americans. It is a great form of publicity, one who’s results cannot be achieved through a passive undertone. The Supreme Court’s decision in 1954 to outlaw segregation served as great evidence to contradict the actions of the segregationists. They say that the African Americans must cease to break laws. But… aren’t, like, ALL of the segregationists breaking a law by continuing to segregate? Martin Luther does an amazing job of compelling the reader to see both sides of the situation, and why the African Americans efforts are the correct and just ones.
2) NONVIOLENT DIRECT ACTION PREVAILS OVER PASSIVE RESISTANCE
Nonviolent direct action carries the purpose to create a situation of intense crisis and tension so as to force people to enact a negotiation. The strategy is to make a scene, go above and beyond, or in today's terms, be “extra” and do something totally out of the ordinary in order to draw attention. This compels people to pay attention and address the matter. Passive resistance is a plausible way to speak peacefully, however it does not ensure that the intended audience will react. It is easy to ignore passive resistance, as many segregationists did. They contradictingly said they ‘wanted’ negotiation, but never really took the first step into discussion. Nonviolent direct action is a direct way to explicitly gain the rightful attention of the public officials, therefore guaranteeing that a negotiation can happen.
3) CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE CONQUERS ALL
When people are already against you, and have unimpressive and often ridiculing impressions of you, the worst thing you can do is respond violently (especially if you are in the right, and they are in the wrong). That’s why MLK advocated civil disobedience as a way to peacefully protest the injustices associated with the immoral laws. He even states that it is terribly wrong to use moral means to protect immoral ones. The 1960’s saw a lot of sit-ins, marches and freedom rides performed by advocates of civil rights. These were overall effective in bringing profound advancements to the civil rights agenda. Think of the Montgomery bus boycott. No cruel intentions, not bothering anyone… simply not using public transportation. It ensued in a major win for African Americans—segregation on busses is illegal! There were many other efforts that could have brought great change as well, but were, ironically, hindered by the whites’ violence. This is seen in the march from Selma to Montgomery that resulted in the voting rights act, or even the Freedom Riders’ efforts to get people registered to vote. The white police used brutal means to injure and stop the African Americans peaceful methods.
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